The Surrey RCMP says the Surrey Police Union has shared 鈥減rotected police information鈥� on social media and that the Surrey Police Service has been alerted to investigate.

鈥淪urrey RCMP is aware of a photograph of protected police information shared by the Surrey Police Union on social media. The matter has been brought to the attention of Surrey Police Service to initiate and conduct an investigation,鈥� Assistant Commissioner Brian Edwards, in charge of the Surrey RCMP, told the Now-Leader on Thursday.

鈥淚n addition, Surrey RCMP is simultaneously investigating the origin of the photograph and will conduct a security review of the incident.鈥�

Paul Daynes, of Keep the RCMP in Surrey, characterized the information as 鈥渃ompromising, it could potentially compromise the anonymity of the individuals concerned. That鈥檚 my understanding.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a security code, it鈥檚 supposed to be internal, it鈥檚 not supposed to be put out there in the public,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 understand it鈥檚 a big deal, that鈥檚 all I understand.鈥�

A tweet was re-sent, the second version with two items blurred out that could be read clearly in the first.

Complete incompetence & unprofessionalism by the SPU. Not helping their own membership with potential security breaches and Police Act consequences. Time to put an end to the boondoggle.

鈥� KEEP THE RCMP IN SURREY, BC (@keep_bc)

Surrey Police Service spokesman Ian MacDonald confirmed the RCMP鈥檚 request and is investigating.

鈥淲e鈥檝e informed the Office of the Police Complaints Commission,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e are obviously going to investigate the incident but we鈥檙e also interested in the totality of the post, which would include staffing, which would include public safety and which would include officer safety. We鈥檙e interested in everything, not just the post itself.鈥�

But the SPU鈥檚 president, Staff Sgt. Rick Stewart, said the image showing 鈥渁larming staffing levels鈥� in the dispatch centre 鈥渋s in no way confidential or protected.

鈥淚n fact, all union members have a fundamental right to report public safety concerns to their superiors and/or union leadership,鈥� he said. 鈥淔urther, this information has not been previously shared with the public, and at this critical juncture in history, the SPU strongly believes that transparency, openness and accountability must be the procedural principles that guide us. As such, we released the image in support of full disclosure and an honest debate surrounding the future of policing in Surrey.鈥�

tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
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