Bear Clan, General Wolfe students unite for community walk
February 8, 2021
Marching alongside students from General Wolfe School, Winnipeg’s Bear Clan Patrol recently held its first-ever school-based mock youth patrol.
The well-attended Feb. 26 event was held in conjunction with the Winnipeg Police Service and the Winnipeg Police Service Cadets.
The Bear Clan is a non-violent, non-judgemental community patrol group that works on the belief that strong neighbourhood relationships can help overcome poverty and crime.
General Wolfe was a logical choice for the first school-based mock youth patrol, as teacher Mario Cueto happens to be one of the Bear Clan directors.
“Our theme for this year is walking the Red Road together,” Mr. Cueto said. “Part of the reason we are doing this is to have the young people bridging the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous together. For all the things that have happened in the past, we walk together so that we have a brighter future.”
On their regular patrols, Bear Clan members will hand out care packages of essentials like bottled water, toiletries and other items to the homeless and those in poverty.
“We are going out there to help people in our community,” Mr. Cueto said.
Bear Clan members will also keep an eye out for dangerous materials, such as drug paraphernalia, on their walks. For the mock youth patrol, students would bring attention to any dangerous items and they were handled properly by a Bear Clan patrol member.
Prior to the mock patrol, WPS Constable Chris Grant and West Broadway Bear Clan Co-ordinator Travis Bighetty went over some safety tips with students.
Mr. Bighetty also explained the intentions of the community walks and Bear Clan’s ultimate goal.
“First and foremost, we are about community engagement. Having conversations with people on the streets, regardless of who they are,” Mr. Bighetty said. “We have a non-judgemental, non-violent approach. We’re not out there to make any criticisms of people, we’re not there as vigilantes…we’re just engaging with them and making sure they are part of our community.”
There are currently plans to hold a second school-based youth patrol at Gordon Bell High School and in the West Broadway community.
