SURREY, B.C. - Surrey has asked for help from Vancouver's city staff and police force as it moves forward with a plan to replace its RCMP detachment with a municipal police service.

Mayor Doug McCallum says in a news release that the Vancouver Police Department is internationally recognized as a best-practice, evidence-based force and Surrey hopes to create a similar model.

He says Surrey wants a municipal police service that takes a leading-edge approach to preventing and solving crime and social issues that impact its communities.

The city says it has put forward a request for technical assistance from Vancouver and its police department, and the cities will now work to develop a partnership agreement.

It says it wants to draw on Vancouver's knowledge of legal and financial issues related to policing, while learning from the police department's expertise with strategic planning, developing a transition plan and building an operational policing model.

Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart says his city and police board are interested and willing to explore a formal partnership to support Surrey's transition.