Surrey police chief Norm Lipinski leaves post

The Surrey Police Board says Chief Const. Norm Lipinski has left the Surrey Police Service, and Deputy Chief Const. Todd Matsumoto has been named interim chief. The board did not say why Lipinski departed. He had served as chief since 2020 and led the department through the ongoing transition from the RCMP to the Surrey Police Service. During his tenure, the service faced major challenges, including officer recruitment and a rise in extortionrelated shootings in Surrey. Lipinski was also under scrutiny over text and email exchanges with mayoral candidate Linda Annis about the location of impaired driving checks. Mayor Brenda Locke thanked Lipinski for his service, while B.C. Premier David Eby said the province’s main priority is stable policing in Surrey. Annis said the timing of the change is concerning given public safety issues in the city.