Skip to content

Langley RCMP head outlines plans for Township council

Supt. Adrian Marsden said efforts underway to aid vulnerable, tackle property crime
32042465_web1_230302-LAT-MC-NewCPO
Supt. Adrian Marsden, head of the Langley RCMP, spoke at the new CPO on Wednesday, March 1. (Langley Advance Times files)

Langley’s top Mountie took questions about community policing, gang crime, and the possible de-integration of the RCMP detachment into two when he spoke before Township council on February 27.

Supt. Adrian Marsden, the officer in charge of the Langley detachment, gave the new council his first summary of the most recent quarter, covering November, December, and January.

He said things have been “quiet, knock on wood.”

Marsden highlighted a few recent successes, including arrests linked to a “problem house” in Brookswood that led to the seizure of crystal meth, body armour, and $10,000 in proceeds of crime.

Langley RCMP also worked with the anti-gang Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit on a recent project to identify and target street gang members.

“It was a pretty effective project,” said Marsden.

READ MORE: New Langley RCMP Community Police Office opens its doors

He also spoke about some of the preventative work the RCMP is doing, such as the work of its mental health unit, and a project to bring in a mental health nurse to ride with some officers part of the time, in a partnership with Fraser Health, and noted that he’s encouraged foot and bike patrols.

Council had a number of questions for Marsden, including several about the possible creation of two RCMP detachments for Langley – separate ones for the City and Township.

Mayor Eric Woodward noted that Langley Township has about 85 per cent of the population of Langley overall, but Langley City generates about 30 per cent of all the calls for police.

Woodward and his Contract with Langley (CWL) council majority have asked for a report on possibly breaking the Langley RCMP detachment into two, one for each municipality. There is no plan to create a civic police force, as Surrey looked at doing recently.

When Coun. Kim Richter asked him directly if dividing the Langley RCMP detachment into two would be helpful or harmful, Marsden demurred and said that was a political question.

“For the most part, I think most of the members would support either,” he said. “Whatever we’re asked to do, we’ll provide it as best we can.”

Marsden was also asked about the upcoming RCMP cadet camp for 10 and 11 year olds, to take place this July, about the ongoing problem of catalytic converter theft, and about the impact of population growth and SkyTrain.

He noted that both SkyTrain and ongoing growth will mean a need for more RCMP officers in the community.


Have a story tip? Email: matthew.claxton@langleyadvancetimes.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.


Matthew Claxton

About the Author: Matthew Claxton

Raised in Langley, as a journalist today I focus on local politics, crime and homelessness.
Read more