On December 30, 2024, the Lieutenant Governor signed an Order in Council to appoint a new Surrey Police Board, effective January 31, 2025. Under the amended Police Act, the Provincial Government appoints up to seven members and City Council appoints one elected representative and one city representative.
Nerissa Allen
Sarbjit Bains
Bilal Cheema
James Carwana
Harley Chappell
Christine Mohr
Rob Stutt
(Elected City Council representative)
In November 2023, the provincial government paused the appointments of Surrey Police Board members and appointed Mike Serr as Board Administrator to advance the policing transition. The appointment of the Board Administrator is rescinded, as of January 31, 2025.
During January, the new Police Board members have been going through an onboarding process to become orientated to the role, in order to assume their responsibilities immediately upon the effective date of their appointment. There are currently two additional vacancies to be filled: one city Council Appointment and one Provincial Cabinet appointment.
“I would like to thank Police Services Branch, Crown Agencies and Board Resourcing Office and Surrey City Council for their efforts in re-establishing the Surrey Police Board. Civilian oversight is integral to public trust and confidence of the police, and I am impressed with the diverse expertise that the new Police Board members will bring.
It has been an honour to serve as Board Administrator and I am proud to have been a part of the significant milestone of SPS assuming police of jurisdiction in Surrey. There is more work ahead to fully complete the transition , and I have full trust in this new Police Board and Chief Lipinski and his team to build a police service that will make a difference in Surrey,” says Mike Serr, Surrey Police Board Administrator.
By :Melissa Granum
media@surreypoliceboard.ca
Bilal Cheema
Bilal Cheema was recruited to serve as an advisor to a Federal Minister of the Crown during his last year of University. While working, he successfully completed his Business Administration degree from Simon Fraser University. Bilal is known as a leader with a diverse and strong background of relationship building, consultation, policy development, communication planning and long term strategy management. Bilal has significant years of experience spanning bureaucratic, political and corporate environments. He has advised numerous Prime Ministers, served Federal Ministers in senior capacities, including the Minister of Health, Fisheries & Oceans and Immigration, and was a Lead Federal Negotiator for Canada tasked to negotiate complex resource related elements of Treaties and Self Government with First Nations. In recent years, Bilal founded Cheema Strategies Inc., an advocacy and public affairs firm that helps clients understand and engage with governments while also providing business development support. Bilal is also involved in supporting various community and charitable organizations; both domestically and internationally. Bilal has served on the South Asian Advisory Committee for the BC Children Hospitals Foundation and is a current board member for House Call for Humanity, the Surrey Hospice and the South Asian Community Hub; organizations supporting the most vulnerable and in need among us. Bilal and his wife Sana live in Surrey and are proud parents of three beautiful children.
Wednesday, November 5, 2025
