The initial advanced planning and preparation of City of Surrey staff has not only facilitated the processes for transition but has laid the foundation for forming the Surrey Police Service from both legal and tangible perspectives.

Key milestones in building the organization were the appointment of the Surrey Police Board members and their appointment of Norm Lipinski as the Chief Constable of the Surrey Police Service.

To date, Chief Lipinski has accomplished the following:
From an operational perspective;

• created a draft organizational structure that will ensure a community responsive police service
• appointment of two (of three) Deputy Chief Constables and recruitment of senior leadership is well underway
• actively working with all three levels of government and police partners in developing a Deployment Model for the transitional period from RCMP to Surrey Police Service operations
• design of Crest that has been sent for Royal Assent
• police vehicle decal design

From an administrative and risk management perspective;

• sought and successfully secured approval by RCMP National Police Services in Ottawa for Surrey Police Service as a Category 1 Police Agency with access to mandatory federal systems - this includes Canadian Police Information Center (CPIC)
• Organizational Policy identified and moving through approval process
• secured MOU with the Independent Investigations Office

It is important to note that some of the administration accomplishments can only be achieved if the organization is recognized as a police agency.

Both the operational and administrative accomplishments are of equal importance and work in tandem to move the organization forward to a place of operational readiness to serve the citizens of Surrey.

Chief Lipinski states, "I have been working at a very quick pace during my first sixty days at Surrey Police Service and will continue to for the foreseeable future. There are a significant number of moving parts and many mechanics to navigate, not the least of which is engaging the community and providing updates and accurate information on the establishment of your Surrey Police Service. Although we as an organization have been running silent up until now, rest assured we have been hard at work in the background and much has been accomplished. But more is yet to be done. It is important for me to reassure the citizens of Surrey that Surrey Police Service is in fact officially formed. My focus, and that of the Executive and Senior Leadership Teams, is to continue moving through the development process creating an organization that is community - centered in its service philosophy to the citizens of Surrey."