Amid Swift radio station shooting, Surrey mayor blames “high legal threshold” for slow justice

October 1, 2025

Parteek Singh Mahal

Following a shooting at the South Asian radio station “Swift 1200 AM”, Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke has voiced her frustration, not only with the violence but also with what she identifies as a significant hurdle in the province’s legal system “the high threshold for laying charges”. In an interview with RED FM’s Harjinder Thind, Locke asserted that this is a core reason for the slow pace of justice.

The mayor acknowledged the public’s fear and her own sense of anger and frustration, claiming that “what is happening in our city right now is truly devastating.” She reassured the public that both the Joint Forces Operation and the Surrey Police Service are “working hard on the file,” but she quickly shifted focus to a key issue she believes is hampering police efforts.

“The challenge for all of us in British Columbia is that the Crown lays the charges. The police can’t lay the charges here and that makes the bar very high,” Locke said.

She said that the threshold in B.C. is higher than it is in other provinces, making it more difficult for police to see their investigations result in charges. Locke pointed to a July incident where two individuals were arrested by the RCMP, claiming “charges still not been laid against them.” This, she said, is “so frustrating” and “makes me angry.”

The Crown’s Role

In British Columbia, the police can investigate and recommend charges, but the final decision to lay a charge rests with Crown counsel, a group of lawyers who work for the province. The Crown must be convinced that there is a “substantial likelihood of conviction” and that a prosecution is in the public interest. This two-part test, which is a core part of the Crown’s charge assessment guidelines, is a higher standard than simply having enough evidence to make an arrest.

Mayor Locke is now advocating for a change to this system. “We need more timely justice in our province and that is up to the provincial government,” she said, confirming that she has spoken with the Attorney General about this matter and will continue to do so.