Surrey leaders face a surge in extortion cases as residents demand action, safety plans, and stronger government support during a heated CBC town hall.
Public Packs CBC Forum as Fears Grow
Surrey residents came out in large numbers. And they came with urgency. The CBC town hall at Surrey Arts Centre offered them a rare chance. They could finally look officials in the eye and ask hard questions. And, as many said, they needed answers fast.
CBC hosts Stephen Quinn and Baneet Braich guided the fast-moving discussion. Meanwhile, a large panel sat ready to respond. The group included Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke, Public Safety Minister Nina Krieger, Police Chief Norm Lipinski, South Asian Business Association vice-president Puneet Sandhar, and radio host Jinny Sims.
More leaders filled the room as well. RCMP Assistant Commissioner John Brewer attended. So did MPs, MLAs, and councillors. And with every new voice in the room, tension grew. Yet concern also turned into hope.
Community Demands Answers as Cases Spike
Residents pushed forward again and again. They asked why the violence is rising. They asked why help took so long. And they asked how safe they really are.
Chief Lipinski shared the number that stunned the crowd. Surrey Police had 10 extortion files last year. Now they have more than 95.
“That jump hit us hard,” he said. “It came fast. It came without warning. And it took time to respond.”
Because of the surge, Surrey Police and Abbotsford Police teamed up early on. But even then, the calls kept coming. So the province formed a larger task force. It now includes RCMP units, border services, transit police, and several city forces.
Officials Admit Delays but Promise Action
Assistant Commissioner Brewer did not hide from the truth. “You should be upset,” he told the crowd. “We were on the back foot at first.”
Mayor Locke agreed. She said Surrey felt ignored for far too long. And she said the city had taken steps on its own. A new public safety department, a $250,000 reward, and repeated calls for federal support topped her list.
“This is not just a Surrey problem,” she said. “This is international. And we need every level of government with us.”
Province Calls Crisis Its Top Priority
Minister Krieger repeated one message: the crisis is the government’s number-one concern. She said arrests are happening. She said more are coming. And she said new police resources, including emergency teams and dog units, are already moving in.
But when asked why support took two years, she said resources will follow community needs, not a fixed number. As a result, many residents still felt uneasy.
Radio Host Shares Harrowing Attack
Then the room fell silent as Jinny Sims spoke. She told the crowd that her radio studio was shot at on Sept. 29. Bullets ripped through doors, walls, and equipment. And the shots came one day after her team aired interviews about gang activity and extortion.
“We swept the glass away,” she said. “Then we went live. Because we refused to be silenced.”
Later, police told her that a bullet could have struck her chest if she had been sitting in her usual spot. The shock still echoes through her team today.
Victims Beg for Protection
Sims said many victims feel abandoned. Some do not even want to report crimes anymore. They fear that help will not come. They fear they will be left alone. They fear for their families every hour of the day.
Chief Lipinski responded. He said police do create safety plans. He said officers sometimes stay outside homes overnight. But he also said they cannot guard every person all the time. Even so, he promised more visible presence as new units arrive.
Experts Call for Community Strength
Criminologist Wade Deismen offered a clear message. Communities hit by extortion elsewhere survived by standing together. They spoke loudly. They refused to hide. And they chose unity over fear. Surrey, he said, must do the same.
Federal Leaders Under Pressure
Surrey-Newton MP Sukh Dhaliwal said the Prime Minister knows what is happening. He said he raises the issue often in Ottawa. And he said action is coming. But residents wanted to hear those words directly from national leaders, not through others.
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