Surrey, British Columbia (Rajeev Sharma): The controversy surrounding the dismissal of former Surrey Police Chief Norm Lipinski has intensified, with Surrey First councillor and mayoral candidate Linda Annis demanding complete transparency and opposing any confidentiality agreement linked to the chief’s departure.
Annis has written to Mayor Brenda Locke and the chair of the Surrey Police Board, urging them not to approve a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) that could prevent the public from learning the circumstances surrounding Lipinski’s dismissal and the financial details of his severance package.
According to Annis, Surrey residents have a right to know how much public money is being spent and why the police chief was removed from his position. She argued that any confidentiality clause would prevent taxpayers from obtaining answers on a matter involving public funds.
The Surrey First councillor alleged that the decision to terminate Lipinski was politically driven and claimed the mayor and the police board have yet to provide a satisfactory explanation for the move. She maintained that greater openness is necessary to preserve public trust in the city’s governance.
Annis also estimated that the severance package could exceed $500,000, though no official figure has been released. She argued that if taxpayers are expected to cover the cost, they deserve complete disclosure regarding the agreement and the reasons behind it.
The issue has also revived debate over Surrey’s long-running policing transition, which has remained a contentious political issue in the city for several years. Annis accused the current administration of contributing to delays and increasing costs through repeated political intervention.
She warned that signing an NDA would only deepen public concerns by limiting accountability and shielding key decisions from scrutiny. In her view, transparency should take precedence whenever taxpayer money is involved.
Neither Mayor Brenda Locke nor the Surrey Police Board has publicly responded to Annis’ latest request or confirmed whether a confidentiality agreement is being considered as part of the former chief’s departure.
