Photo: CTV News

The City of Surrey has been given the go-ahead to start its own municipal police force.

Mike Farnworth, B.C. Public Safety Minister, gave the move the thumbs up on Thursday.

Surrey is B.C.'s second-largest city so the government has also established a joint committee to oversee the process, former MLA Wally Oppal will head that committee.

CTV News is reporting that the switch has been dogged by controversy since its inception.
Those opposed to the idea point to the price tag saying it's more than Surrey currently pays for the RCMP and provides fewer officers.

-with files from CTV Vancouver