SURREY – Sue Hammell, New Democrat MLA for Surrey-Green Timbers, issued the following statement on gun violence in Surrey:

“I am very disturbed by the rising violence on the streets of Surrey, and gun crime in particular. Including an incident this morning, gunfire has broken out in Surrey 12 times in just the last month.

“It is not acceptable for people to feel unsafe in their own community. We absolutely need more front-line police officers.

“I have also spoken with parents worried that young people in their families are getting mixed up with drugs and criminal activity. We need to make sure parents can access the help they need to keep their young people on the right path.

“My New Democrat colleagues and I have worked with community leaders to develop the Surrey Accord, a plan to tackle crime that is widely supported by residents. We cannot ask police officers to be the solution to every problem. We know that poverty, addiction, homelessness and untreated mental illness are key drivers of crime and these must be addressed alongside badly needed action against this unacceptable level of violence.