BREAKING: Surrey police board chair Harley Chappell resigns after chief ousted<\/p>\n
Published 11:45 am Tuesday, June 2, 2026<\/p>\n
Surrey police board chair Harley Chappell has resigned, effective immediately, in response to the ousting of former police chief Norm <\/a>Lipinski<\/a>.<\/p>\n Chappell, who is also chief of Semiahmoo First Nation, sent a resignation letter Tuesday morning (June 2) saying he must resign from his position \u201cwith great sadness and disappointment\u201d with the Surrey Police Service board.<\/p>\n \u201cThe decision to fire Chief Norm Lipinski from his position as chief constable was made during a special meeting that I was not in attendance at,\u201d Chappell wrote in the letter. \u201cI do not support this motion and feel it to be in violation of our governance policies and provincial police act.\u201d<\/p>\n Unfortunately, what is done is done, Chappell continued.<\/p>\n \u201cI Harley Chappell, Chair of the Surrey Police board, officially give notice of my resignation, effective immediately. I believe I have gone above and beyond in leading an independent, non-politically influenced board to govern the SPS, unfortunately I feel the political tentacles and pressures have reached far too deeply into our newly formed SPS board, and I morally and ethically cannot be part of this moving forward.\u201d<\/p>\n Chappell expressed his gratitude and thanks to the officers, staff and leadership at the SPS.<\/p>\n \u201cIt has been my true honor for be part of the largest, most unprecedented police transition in Canadian history,\u201d he concluded.<\/p>\n Lipinski\u2019s departure and Chappell\u2019s resignation come just months after B.C. Premier David Eby announced the province would not renew the terms of five Surrey police board directors<\/a> in February.<\/p>\n \u201cToday, the provincial government announced that five Surrey Police Board directors will be departing the Board following the expiry of their current terms. These directors will be replaced by new appointees, as determined by the Province and City of Surrey,\u201d Eby\u2019s statement at the time said.<\/p>\n