A group of citizens are patrolling neighbourhoods in Saskatoon in an effort to create a safer environment, especially for Indigenous women and girls.

Colin Naytowhow said the Okihtcitawak (Warriors) Initiative was in the works before a video of an alleged attempted child abduction was posted to Facebook, but the post prompted the group to patrol the Pleasant Hill neighbourhood Monday night.

Saskatoon police say, at this point, evidence shows it’s unlikely an attempted child abduction took place, but officers are still investigating.

Naytowhow said the goal of the group is to look out for anyone in trouble — specifically Indigenous women and girls — and have a presence in the community so others feel safe.

“We want to be a voice in the community and protection for First Nations women and children,” he said.

Naytowhow said if they see an incident or suspicious activity, someone in the group calls police and members do not intervene themselves.

Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations Vice-Chief Kimberly Jonathan joined the group to patrol Tuesday night.

“We can't wait for someone else to make a difference,” she said. “We all have the responsibility to do what we can to ensure safety and protection of our children collectively. This is not a First Nations only watch. We are here to do our best to keep our eyes out for all children, women and men.”

Saskatoon police say there are formal citizen patrol groups in the city that are trained by police. People interested in joining or starting a group should start by contacting their community association, according to police.