Within six weeks 3 dangerous sex offenders have been released and they will all be residing amongst us. The police have issued warnings. Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke has asked Corrections Canada to proportionality release offenders throughout BC not just in Surrey.
Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke and the Surrey Board of Trade (SBOT) have voiced their profound concern and frustration over the recent release of another dangerous sex offender into the community. The mayor and the Trade are also demanding a comprehensive review of the current laws and protocols related to the sentencing, release, and monitoring of dangerous sex offenders who are at high risk of re-offending.
For the third time in approximately six weeks, the RCMP has issued a public warning about an individual who poses a serious and imminent risk to vulnerable women and intimate partners. The latest notification concerns Ezaz Razak, who has been identified as a significant threat.
In 2019, Ezaz Razak was convicted of sexually assaulting two women in 2017. Ezaz Razak will be released into the community after completing his federal sentence.
Surrey Mayor called it “unconscionable.” In a statement, she said, “It goes without saying that Mr. Razak is not welcome in our city. I urge anyone who sees this sexual predator out after 10 p.m. or using drugs or alcohol to call 9-1-1 immediately. I am sending a letter to both the federal and provincial Ministers responsible for public safety to demand a comprehensive review of the laws pertaining to sentencing, release, and monitoring of dangerous sex offenders with a high risk of re-offending, to determine more appropriate measures in order to protect all communities from harm.”
In a letter addressed to BC’s public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth and BC’s Attorney General Niki Sharma, SBOT president Anita Huberman said, “From a business perspective, the repeated release of dangerous sex offenders into our community has far-reaching implications. The safety and well-being of our employees, customers, and the general public are paramount. The perceived and real threats posed by such individuals can lead to a decline in consumer confidence and foot traffic in local businesses, negatively impacting economic activity and the overall business climate. Moreover, businesses may incur additional costs for security measures to protect their premises and patrons, diverting resources that could be better used to grow and innovate.”
The Surrey Board of Trade is also demanding a comprehensive review of the current laws and protocols related to the sentencing, release, and monitoring of dangerous sex offenders who are at high risk of re-offending. It is imperative that we explore and implement more effective measures to ensure the safety and security of all communities in British Columbia.
The police informed that Ezaz Razak is bound by a series of conditions which include, in part, obeying a curfew by being inside your residence for a certain time of the day, not consuming alcohol or hard drugs.
Anyone who sees or knows of Ezaz Razak violating any of these conditions is asked to call 9-1-1 immediately.
In April, two other dangerous sex offenders were released in Surrey. The mayor called it “blatant disregard for the safety and security of our community, particularly our most vulnerable individuals, is a grave injustice that cannot be overlooked.”
Mayor Locke had called on Corrections Canada to to ensure that such individuals are released throughout all B.C. jurisdictions in a proportionate manner. “This burden must be borne by all communities. I further call for rigorous monitoring following the release of any such individuals into this community so that it does not further task our police service and create risk for our residents. The protection of our community must be prioritized above all else,” she had said in a statement, when 56 year old Leonard Ramstead, and 44 year old Michal Popek were released.
In 2020, Popek was convicted of sexually assaulting four women from 2015-2016 and poses a risk to adolescent girls and adult women, including strangers.
In 2019, Ramstead was convicted of sexual interference of a person under 16-year-old and in 2021 he was convicted of sexual interference of a person under 14-years-old; and poses a risk to young children and adolescent girls.
