Surrey mayor says 150 more police officers needed to face extortion crimes

Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke is advocating for 150 additional police officers to combat extortion crimes that have severely impacted the South Asian community and local businesses. She described the situation as "gut-wrenching" in a recent statement, urging for prompt action from both federal and provincial governments. Locke met with Public Safety Minister Nina Krieger to discuss the growing problem and wrote to federal Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree, requesting support for her proposal. The mayor emphasized the need for officers trained in organized crime and firearms interdiction to coordinate a police response. Currently, the Surrey Police Service is investigating 65 extortion cases this year, with numerous incidents linked to gunfire.

In September, Locke announced a $250,000 reward fund aimed at encouraging tips leading to convictions in extortion-related cases. The mayor is also pushing for amendments to the Criminal Code to strengthen laws against organized crime. Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact the Surrey Extortion Tip Line.