Our Story What We Did Who We Were Our Changing Role

Who We Were

Listen to our stories, see photos of us and our work, look at the records, and share your stories.
Interviews

Oral history is easily lost.
Of the hundreds of personal and family stories that could be told, here are 19 perspectives on what it was like to work as a Special Constable for the RCMP.

Albert Elias

nephew of S/Cst. Bill Cockney, Jim Raddi, Moses Raddi

Arlene Wright

niece of S/Cst. William Mcleod

Bella Arey

daughter of S/Cst. Lazarus Sittichinli

Charlotte Menacho

wife of S/Cst. Victor Menacho

S/Cst. Dale Clark

Fred Jerome

son of S/Cst. Joe Bernard

George Mandeville

son of S/Cst. Philip Mandeville

S/Cst. George Niditchie

Grace Blake

daughter of S/Cst. Louis Cardinal

Louis Mercredi, Jr.

son of S/Cst. Louis Mercredi, Sr.

Louise Reindeer

daughter of S/Cst. Johnny Reindeer

Mabel Brown

daughter of S/Cst. Alfred Kendi

S/Cst. Otto Binder

Peter Ross

son-in-law of S/Cst. Andre Jerome

Sonny Balsillie

son of S/Cst. Harry Balsillie

Steve Beck

nephew of S/Cst. Edward Fabien, Harry Balsillie, James Fabien

S/Cst. Tom Kotchea

Wilfred Lennie

nephew of S/Cst. Alfred Lennie

Winston Moses

son of S/Cst. John Moses

Archival Videos

The following silent footage of northern detachments and police work shows activities that RCMP officers did, with the help of Special Constables and community members. The videos were taken by RCMP Assistant Commander Cyril “Nordie” Kirk while he was stationed in the Northwest Territories in the late 1940s and 1950s.

Sled Preparation

Dogsledding

Camping and Fishing

Boat Patrol

Ice and Wood Processing

Air Delivery

Feast

Family

Portraits
  • Peter Alexie, Fort McPherson, NWT, 1940s.
  • Peter Benjamin, Yukon, date unknown.
  • Otto Binder (centre), Aklavik, NWT, 1957.
  • Pat Burke (right), Fort Reliance, NWT, 1932.
  • Louis Cardinal, Fort McPherson, NWT, 1904.
  • Frank Carpenter, Sachs Harbour, NWT, 1958.
  • Pierre Chiapot (left), Fort Reliance, NWT, 1941-44.
  • Dale Clark with granddaughter Peyton, 2015.
  • Bill Cockney, date unknown.
  • Peter Esau, Sachs Harbour, NWT, 1958.
  • Fred Gaudet (left), Fort Norman to Aklavik patrol route, NWT, 1947.
  • Jimmy Gibbons and family, Nunavut, 1943.
  • Andre Jerome, Arctic Red River, NWT, 1957.
  • Alfred Kendi, Aklavik, NWT, 1947.
  • Archie Laroque with wife Mary Anne, Rocher River, NWT, 1942.
  • Alfred and Julie Lennie with son Wilfred, Fort Norman, NWT, 1949.
  • William Loutit (left), NWT, 1914.
  • John Martin, 1924-27.
  • Victor Menacho, Willow Lake, NWT, 1986.
  • Johnny Moses and son, Old Crow, Yukon, date unknown.
  • George Niditchie, date unknown.
  • Edward Sikyea, Yellowknife, NWT, 1953.
  • Lazarus Sittichinli, Aklavik, NWT, 1940s.
  • Andrew Stewart, Aklavik, NWT, 1945-48.
  • Vital Thomas, Old Fort Rae, NWT, 1976.
  • Ningeok Killiktee of Pond Inlet on patrol near Dundas Harbour.
  • William Vittrekwa, NWT, 1970.
  • Edward Zoe, 1940s.
Place Names

Several Special Constables are recognized on Canadian maps as official geographic place names, particularly in the Gwich’in area.

1Joe Bernard Lake
2Charlie Stewart Viteetshìk (Creek)
3John Martin Viteetshìk (Creek)
4Jimmy Husky Viteetshìk (Creek)
5Johnny Semple Viteetshìk (Creek)
6Peter Alexie Viteetshìk (Creek)
7Millen Viteetshìk (Creek) *
8Abraham Francis Ferry
9Louis Cardinal Ferry
10Mount Sittichinli
11Moses Hill

* place named after constable Edgar Millen, killed in the hunt for the Mad Trapper.

Place Names Map
Lists of Known Specials

For this project, researchers compiled a list of known Special Constables and other community members who helped the RCMP. The official RCMP records are not complete, so some of the information below was collected from community members. There are probably many names still missing from the list. If you would like to add a story or acknowledge a Special Constable, please share it here and we will add it to this website.

Special Constables
First Name Family Name Active Date(s) Place or Project
Interpreters and Guides
First Name Family Name Active Date(s) Place or Project
Women Who Helped
First Name Family Name Active Date(s) Place or Project