B.C. government appoints former RCMP officer to lead extortion advisory group

The B.C. government has appointed Paul Dadwal, a former RCMP officer, to lead a community advisory group on extortion aimed at improving communication between law enforcement and affected communities such as Surrey.

The province of British Columbia has appointed Paul Dadwal, a former RCMP officer, to lead a community advisory group on extortion. The group is intended to strengthen communication and trust between law enforcement and communities affected by extortion, with particular attention to Surrey. Premier David Eby and Public Safety Minister Nina Krieger announced the appointment and said the advisory group will listen to community concerns and relay them to police and government. Surrey’s mayor is seeking federal action while meeting with officials in Ottawa. What officials said: - Paul Dadwal will lead the community advisory group on extortion. - The group is designed to close communication gaps between law enforcement, including the B.C. Extortion Task Force, and affected communities. - Premier David Eby and Minister Nina Krieger said the advisory body will gather community concerns and share them with police and government. - Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke has asked the federal government to consider a national state of emergency and a national extortion commissioner while she meets stakeholders in Ottawa. Summary: The appointment is presented as an effort to improve information flow and community trust in response to reported extortion concerns affecting businesses and neighbourhoods. Undetermined at this time.