Sheila North, a member of Bunibonibee Cree Nation and former Grand Chief of MKO, was appointed yesterday as the Winnipeg Police Service’s first external Indigenous Relations Advisor.

The newly created role is intended to provide insight, advice and guidance to the service's leadership on strategic efforts that involve Indigenous people.

About 12 per cent of the service's current workforce is Indigenous, and Winnipeg Police Chief Gene Bowers said he felt it needed expertise from someone outside of the organization.

North said she will be a critical eye to help guide the force's service to the city's Indigenous population, which is Canada’s largest urban population of Indigenous people.

Bowers said North will start immediately in the new role.