The Delta Police Department says the move to hold most of its suspects in Surrey instead of at its own headquarters in Ladner has gone well.
"We started this in October 2013 and so far the transition has been very smooth," said department spokesperson Sgt. Sarah Swallow.
Delta police began negotiations with Surrey RCMP in 2012 to have suspects being held in custody overnight or longer transferred to Surrey jail cells.
Those suspects being held for a shorter period of time are still kept at the local station.
The department made the move because the cellblock in Ladner has begun to deteriorate.
Police Chief Jim Cessford said last year the move would be temporary until renovations can be done to upgrade the current facility. He said that the current cellblock at the
headquarters in Ladner is in need of major renovations to ensure the safety of prisoners, officers and staff, which will cost as much as $1.5 million.
The agreement with Surrey RCMP expires in 2018 and, if needed, would have to be renewed at that time.
Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 454, which represents civilian staff at the police department, last year raised concerns over the change, stating that it will mean officers will be tied up transporting prisoners to the Surrey RCMP headquarters at Highway 10 and 144th Street.
Swallow said that while an officer who arrests someone in Ladner or Tsawwassen now has to drive further to book them into police custody, the driving time has remained unchanged for officers in North Delta.
"There does not appear to be any significant increase in the amount of time an officer devotes to a call when the suspect must be transported to be held in Surrey," Swallow said. "The staff in Surrey cells assists our officers with the booking process, which can
actually streamline the process for our officers. "As it was before our transition to Surrey cells, our commitment remains to public safety and therefore we continue to adjust our resources and deployment as required any time a prisoner is being transported or an officer may be tied up for longer periods of time."
