The City of Surrey has a long and varied history when it comes to its police and policing. Starting with its incorporation in 1879, it took the city until 1887 to establish its own police force to oversee local law and order. Prior to that a one man municipal constable policed the vast rugged wilderness and forest where much of modern day Surrey now stands. Beginning in 1887, Edmund T Wade was sworn in as Surrey’s first constable. He held that position until 1905 when two new constables were added. One constable, A.D. Matheson would go on to become Chief Constable and stayed with the Surrey municipal force until 1937.

By 1915, Matheson become a full time peace officer and with the introduction of prohibition more part time officers were added to police the border and prevent smuggling of liquor to and from Canada.

Starting in 1920, the RCMP stationed one member in Surrey for the purposes of patrolling the Canada US border. The RCMP did not take control until 1951. In the meantime, the City of Surrey Police continued to operate as the City’s police force.

The Surrey police then added its first traffic cop in 1921 as cars become more and more widely used and the force continued to grow reaching 7 members by 1937.

By 1945 11 members patrolled the City of Surrey but there were rising concerns about the cost to the City of maintaining it’s own police force.

In December 1950, Surrey Council debated keeping and expanding it’s own police force and choose by a narrow margin to hand policing over the RCMP. 15 officers comprised the first RCMP force in Surrey.

Between 1952 and 1963, the Surrey RCMP grew to 63 members and by 1973 had up to 150 officers as part of the detachment.

In 1990, The RCMP moved into its current facility at 14355 57th Avenue. This office acts as the main hub for the Surrey RCMP housing over 800 administrative and operations staff, municipal employees, and the OIC of Surrey Detachment.

Five separate district offices also exist within the City of Surrey for regional operations. To get more information on each of these districts and their offices, please visit our Police Districts and Facilities page and select the appropriate district.