Peaceful protectors: The Bear Clan Patrol's role in Winnipeg's North End
Volunteers team up to support Winnipeg’s Bear Clan Patrol.
Photos courtesy Kevin Walker, Director of the Bear Clan Patrol.
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In Winnipeg, Manitoba, a special group is working hard to help the city's 80,000 Indigenous Peoples. This group is called the Bear Clan Patrol, and has been patrolling the streets since 1992.
The group became widely recognized in 2015 after the murder of First Nations teenage girl Tina Fontaine, which highlighted growing concerns over the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, Two-Spirit, and gender-diverse people in Canada.
Browse the photos below to learn more about the important work that the Bear Clan Patrol continues to do.
Photo gallery
The Bear Clan Patrol started in Winnipeg’s North End, as the neighbourhood faced challenges of poverty, addiction, mental health issues, and homelessness. The community felt it needed its own security force alongside police officers to protect and serve its 80,000 Indigenous community members.
The Bear Clan Patrol started in 1992 and now has over 250 volunteers who walk around the city 5 days a week to make Winnipeg safer. While they don’t carry weapons, they do patrol main roads, back alleys and neighbourhoods to watch, listen, and help when and where needed.
"Our role in the community is to offer basic first aid, help in violent situations with good results and give people something everyone needs—love.
We meet people where they are and when we are needed the most."
- Kevin Walker, Bear Clan Project Director
The Patrol's group of volunteers grew through social media, word of mouth and media appearances. Many school divisions, group homes and large organizations have joined or helped with donations and resources.
Seeing the Bear Clan Patrol out on the streets makes Winnipeg residents feel safer. Their uniforms also make Indigenous people feel proud.
"Every year, we help to prevent potential crimes and volatile situations, with a focus on peaceful and culturally sensitive enforcement.
Fortunately, we’ve strengthened our relationship with the Winnipeg Police Service, acting as a liaison from the community to their missing persons unit. The result is we’ve seen a 75% success rate in finding people.
Our patrols are made up of people from the community, for the community, and we’re here to make a difference."
- Kevin Walker, Bear Clan Project Director
"To our Indigenous relatives, we are healers, the guardians of our community and carriers of medicine. We are trusted because we are mindful and respectful of our relatives, are experienced in de-escalating situations and have earned our respect, approaching people in a non-judgmental manner."
- Kevin Walker, Bear Clan Project Director
No matter the weather, the Bear Clan Patrol is always there to help. They offer a friendly greeting, sandwiches, water, or a helping hand. Since 1992, the Patrol has grown to include other chapters in Brandon, Portage la Prairie, Selkirk and Opaskwayak Cree Nation in The Pas. They also plan to expand to Thompson, Manitoba.