Surrey's new police chief named as McCallum prepares to take office
The Surrey Police Board named Todd Matsumoto permanent chief constable on October 30, days before mayor-elect Doug McCallum and a new council are sworn in on November 2.
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The Surrey Police Board named Todd Matsumoto the permanent chief constable of the Surrey Police Service on October 30, 2026. The announcement came two business days before mayor-elect Doug McCallum and a new Surrey council are sworn in on November 2.
Matsumoto said he is ready for the role. He told reporters he was proud and excited to take on the leadership challenge, according to CTV News, and eager to get on with the job.
McCallum, whose Safe Surrey Coalition won the mayoralty on October 17, publicly criticized the timing. In an Instagram post verified as legitimate by City of Surrey staff, he wrote that the board "picked Surrey's police chief behind closed doors so the council that replaced her would have no say." He called it "one last kick at Surrey on her way out the door," referring to outgoing Mayor Brenda Locke, who appointed most of the current board members. McCallum urged the provincial government to remove the board and appoint a new one through a public process.
Who Matsumoto is
Matsumoto started his policing career in New Westminster in 1993, working in investigative and administrative roles, according to the Surrey Police Board. He joined Surrey Police Service when it was established and rose to deputy chief constable before taking over as interim chief in June 2026.
The board said it hired an outside executive search firm to conduct a nationwide search before choosing Matsumoto. Board chair Perm Jawanda said Matsumoto "was absolutely the best candidate for the job" and that the board chose him to "bring stability to not only all of our front-line officers and civilian staff, but also to the community."
The Surrey police union backed the appointment. Union president Sgt. Ryan Buhrig told CTV News that Matsumoto is a "strong leader" that members "know and trust," and that he listens to the concerns of the membership.
What McCallum says he will do
McCallum said his objection is to the board, not to Matsumoto. He told CTV News he will give Matsumoto his support and follow through on his campaign commitment to equip the force with a helicopter and drones.
He also said he wants "a police board that answers to the law, not to any mayor, including me."
McCallum and the new council will have limited power over the composition of the police board when they take office. The Provincial Minister of Public Safety appoints police board members under the Police Act. McCallum has called on the province to act.
The background: how the force got here
Surrey Police Service was created in 2020 to replace the RCMP in the city. Norm Lipinski was hired that year as founding chief constable to lead the transition.
The board fired Lipinski in June 2026, a move that triggered political disputes. Board chair Harley Chappell and director James Carwana resigned days after Lipinski's removal. Lipinski has since filed a petition in B.C. Supreme Court challenging his dismissal, arguing the removal was unlawful and motivated by political considerations. Those allegations have not been tested in court.
Matsumoto took over as interim chief following Lipinski's departure. When asked about the court petition on October 30, Matsumoto said his appointment is "permanent" and that "the community and our employees here deserve stability in that."
The RCMP transition: one district remains
Matsumoto told CBC News that Surrey Police Service now handles policing in four of the city's five policing districts. District 2, which covers Guildford and Fleetwood, remains under RCMP responsibility. Matsumoto said the timeline for the final step is still being worked out and that planning with RCMP colleagues is going well.
The full transition has been a subject of debate in Surrey politics for years. McCallum first voted to switch from the RCMP to a municipal force when he was previously mayor. Locke opposed the transition but was unable to stop it after it was already in progress.
Matsumoto's top stated priority: extortion
Matsumoto named fighting extortion as his top priority. He told CBC News on October 30 that the force must keep working on the problem even when the number of incidents goes up or down, and must keep applying pressure.
Extortion has been a significant public safety concern in Surrey and across Metro Vancouver in recent years, with businesses and residents targeted in a pattern that has drawn provincial attention.
What comes next
McCallum and the eight newly elected Surrey councillors take office on November 2, 2026, under section 119 of the Community Charter, which sets the first council meeting for the first Monday in November following a general election. That meeting is the inaugural meeting of the new council. Read about the new council at the Surrey 2026 results page.
Residents who have questions about the Surrey Police Service can contact the force directly through surreypolice.ca.
Questions this story answers
Who is Todd Matsumoto?
Todd Matsumoto has been part of Surrey Police Service since its early years. He previously served as the force's deputy chief constable. He started his policing career in New Westminster in 1993, working in investigative and administrative roles, giving him more than 30 years of experience in municipal policing. The Surrey Police Board says he was selected from a national search conducted by an outside hiring firm. He had been serving as interim chief constable since June 2026, when the board ended founding chief Norm Lipinski's contract.
Why did Mayor-elect McCallum criticize the appointment?
McCallum said the appointment was made on October 30, the last business day before he and the new council take office on November 2. He wrote in an Instagram post, verified by City of Surrey staff and reported by the Times Colonist, that the board 'picked Surrey's police chief behind closed doors so the council that replaced her would have no say.' McCallum called this 'one last kick at Surrey' by outgoing Mayor Brenda Locke. He urged the province to remove the board and appoint a new one through a public process.
Does McCallum support Matsumoto as chief?
Yes. McCallum said his objection is to the police board, not to Matsumoto. He said he would give Matsumoto his support. He also said in his statement, as reported by CTV News, that he would follow through on his campaign commitment to equip Surrey Police Service with a helicopter and drones, and that he wants 'a police board that answers to the law, not to any mayor, including me.'
What did the Surrey Police Board say about the appointment?
Police Board chair Perm Jawanda announced Matsumoto's hiring in a news release on October 30. He said Matsumoto 'was absolutely the best candidate for the job' and that the board wanted him to 'bring stability to not only all of our front-line officers and civilian staff, but also to the community.' The board said it had hired an outside executive search firm for a nationwide search before choosing Matsumoto.
What did the police union say?
The Surrey police union president, Sgt. Ryan Buhrig, described Matsumoto as a 'strong leader' that members 'know and trust,' according to CTV News. Buhrig said Matsumoto listens to the concerns of the membership and cares about police wellness. The union said the appointment would 'provide stability' for the force.
What happened to former chief Norm Lipinski?
Lipinski was the founding chief constable of Surrey Police Service, hired in 2020 to oversee the city's transition away from the RCMP. The police board ended his contract in June 2026. In September 2026, Lipinski filed a petition in B.C. Supreme Court challenging his removal, arguing it was unlawful and motivated by political considerations. Those allegations have not been tested in court. Shortly after Lipinski's removal, two police board members resigned, including then-chair Harley Chappell and director James Carwana.
How far along is Surrey's transition from the RCMP to its own police service?
According to Matsumoto, speaking to CBC News on October 30, the Surrey Police Service now handles policing in four of the city's five policing districts. Only District 2, which covers Guildford and Fleetwood, remains under RCMP responsibility. Matsumoto said the timeline for completing that final step is still being worked out. He said planning with RCMP colleagues is going well.
What are Matsumoto's stated priorities as chief?
Matsumoto told CBC News that his top priority is public safety, with a specific focus on the extortion crisis affecting Surrey and other parts of Metro Vancouver. He said the force must keep applying pressure on extortion even when the number of incidents goes up or down. He also named completing the city's transition away from the RCMP as a key goal for his tenure.
When does the new Surrey council take office?
Mayor-elect Doug McCallum and the newly elected Surrey City Council are scheduled to be sworn in on Monday, November 2, 2026. Under the Local Government Act, the term of office for Surrey council begins on the first Monday in November following a general election.
Sources
The pages this story draws on. Open one to check a claim yourself.
- Times Colonist: McCallum slams Matsumoto appointment (Nov. 1, 2026)timescolonist.com
- CTV News: Surrey names new police chief after former top cop fired (Oct. 30, 2026)ctvnews.ca
- CBC News via Yahoo: Todd Matsumoto named new Surrey Police Service chief (Oct. 30, 2026)ca.news.yahoo.com
- Doug McCallum candidate page, voche.mevoche.me
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