Search begins for new Surrey Police Service chief constable

The Surrey Police Board has begun its search for a new chief constable, three months after ousting former police boss Norm Lipinski.

On Wednesday, the board announced it had hired PFM Executive Search to “conduct partner consultation and facilitate the recruitment process for a new Chief Constable to lead Surrey Police Service.”

Lipinski was hired in November 2020, six months after the Surrey Police Service was formed to replace the Surrey RCMP. The SPS officially took over from the RCMP in November 2024.

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The creation of the SPS was driven by former Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum. In the lead-up to the October 2022 municipal election, current Mayor Brenda Locke campaigned on a promise to rescind the SPS and stick with the RCMP.

Locke was unable to do this once in power and the SPS officially took over in Nov. 2024. The 2026 budget for the force is $284.5 million.

Lipinski was terminated on June 2, with no reason given. Harley Chappell, the chair of the board at the time of the decision, said he was not aware a vote was being taken. He resigned a few days later, followed by board member James Carwana.

Being a board member is a voluntary position. Seven of the nine directors on the police board are appointed directly by the province. One director is appointed by the city and the ninth director is a member of city council.

Deputy Chief Const. Todd Matsumoto is interim chief constable while the search is underway.

The position advertisement on the PFM Executive Search states the new leader “will be a respected senior police executive with broad operational experience and a demonstrated record of leading complex organizations through change.”