Surrey police say enough is enough on Twitter

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Surrey Police have asked Twitter trolls to stop spreading lies about officers and their families as a way to discredit the controversial move from RCMP detachments to local police.

On Monday, the SPS Twitter handle (which has 5,350 followers) said, “Surrey Police have issued substantial exceptions for individuals who use Twitter to engage in personal attacks against employees and even their families. I acknowledge that,” he said.

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SPS spokesperson Ian MacDonald said that since anti-SPS mayoral candidate Brenda Locke defeated former mayor Doug in the Oct. 15 local elections, Twitter trolls have been on the rise. People who post false and inflammatory comments linking to it) are increasing in intensity. McCallum-Sally who created his SPS to replace the RCMP.

“Trolls do the same things trolls do, but it’s taken to new lows,” McDonald said, referring to a tweet that claimed infidelity, family disintegration and secret children against SPS members.

MacDonald said it was particularly disturbing that the trolls knew certain police officers and were attacking them as part of an ongoing effort to discredit the SPS.

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The battle dates back to 2018, when McCallum was elected on a promise to abolish the Surrey RCMP and replace it with a local government force.

McCallum has received approval from the state government to switch units, and as of this month the army employs 296 sworn officers and 57 civilian staff, with the force expected to be fully operational by next July. .

MacDonald said of SPS Chief Const: Noam Lipinski, who is married to media personality Linda Steele, was not the subject of any online accusations.

Mayor Locke is 100% committed to maintaining the Surrey RCMP and has called for the city to produce a corporate report outlining how the SPS will be dissolved. The report will be passed to BC Attorney General Mike Farnworth, who has the final say on who goes to police in BC’s second most populous municipality.

Despite this fluid situation, the SPS continues to employ officers, as if they were allowed to take over from the RCMP.

Meanwhile, Sally RCMP also continued without commenting on the transition to the media, as if to keep it as is.

McDonald said police were already a difficult profession and that it was dangerous and unfair for individual officers to be targeted online.

dcarrigg@postmedia.com