MINNEAPOLIS — The Minneapolis Fire Department is making history with the introduction of its first all-Indigenous crew, now operating Engine 10 out of Station 6 on the city’s south side.
The four-member team—Captain Michael Graves of the Red Lake Nation, motor operator Jesse Strong of the Bois Forte Band of Ojibwe, firefighter Bobby Headbird of Leech Lake, and firefighter Johnny Crow of the Oglala Lakota—represents a milestone in representation and community connection within city services.
Station 6 was selected due to its proximity to neighborhoods with substantial Native American populations, including the Little Earth community and areas along Franklin Avenue. The initiative aims to improve relationships between public safety departments and Indigenous residents while inspiring Native youth to consider careers in firefighting and emergency response.
“Kids see someone who looks like them, and that can change how they see their future,” said Captain Graves in an interview with The Star Tribune. He added that calls involving Native residents have already felt calmer and more collaborative since the crew began working together full-time.
Each firefighter on Engine 10 is a fully trained professional, handling standard emergency calls in the same manner as any other unit in the department. But for many, the work carries added weight.
“It’s tough when we respond to tragedies in our own community,” firefighter Johnny Crow told CBS Minnesota. “But it also drives us to keep showing up for the people who raised us.”
Department leaders say the crew aligns with ongoing efforts to make Minneapolis’ public safety divisions more reflective of the city’s diversity. Fire Chief Bryan Tyner praised the team for “bringing visibility, strength, and service to a community that’s often underrepresented in city government.”
The all-Indigenous crew has received strong support from residents and fellow firefighters alike. Leaders from the Little Earth Residents Association called it “a proud and healing moment,” noting that visibility in first-response roles can go a long way toward restoring trust in government systems. City officials say they plan to monitor the initiative’s success and explore ways to expand Indigenous representation at additional stations in the future.
Minneapolis has a rich Indigenous history. The city is situated on ancestral Dakota land, once known as Mni Sota Makoce, meaning “the land where the waters reflect the clouds.” The city’s name itself combines the Dakota word “mni” (water) with the Greek “polis” (city), forming “city of waters.”
Like all of the United States, the Twin Cities region’s Indigenous history involves hardship, including forced removals after the U.S.–Dakota War of 1862 and federal relocation programs that changed Native life in the 20th century; however, Minneapolis also became a hub for Native activism, featuring the American Indian Movement and the Little Earth community. Today, Native organizations and cultural centers along Franklin Avenue continue this legacy, striving for recognition, representation, and reconciliation.
