VICTORIA — A public mischief charge has been approved by a special prosecutor against the mayor of Surrey, B.C.
The BC Prosecution Service says the charge comes after Mayor Doug McCallum complained to the RCMP that he was verbally assaulted and hit by a car.
There were public discussions at the time about Surrey replacing the RCMP with a municipal police force and McCallum said he was attacked during a "Keep the RCMP in Surrey" gathering at a grocery store.
McCallum was elected on a promise to replace the RCMP with a local force and some Surrey Police members are already on the job.
Vancouver lawyer Richard Fowler was appointed as a special prosecutor shortly after the complaint was made to provide legal assistance and advice to police.
The prosecution service says McCallum's first court appearance on the charge is set for Jan. 25 in Surrey provincial court.
In an email, the mayor declined to comment on the charge.
The prosecution service says the the B.C. RCMP major crime section, which is not based in Surrey, handled the investigation "to ensure there was no potential for real or perceived conflict of interest or improper influence."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 10, 2021.
The Canadian Press
