Surrey Police Board to name new chair after leadership shakeup

The Surrey Police Board plans to appoint Perm Jawanda as its next chair at a meeting on June 17, following a turbulent week for the city’s police service. The board’s leadership changes came after Chief Const. Norm Lipinski left Surrey Police Service on June 2 and former chair Harley Chappell resigned in protest soon after. The board said Lipinski was removed at a meeting Chappell did not attend, and Lipinski later told police union members that he had been terminated without cause. Jawanda, a former Rogers Communications executive, has more than 30 years of experience in complex, multipartner environments, according to the board. The board also says it will begin recruiting for a new chief constable, hire an executive search firm, and start work on the 2027 budget as it looks to stabilize governance and oversight.