Working with the Police: The Art of Community Outreach

 

By John Wandzilak

I’ve talked about this before. How art, storytelling, and community seem to meet in unexpected places. But this time, I want to slow it down and look more closely. Because this story isn’t just about a coloring book or a Kickstarter campaign. It’s about trust. It’s about how one conversation at the right moment can turn into something bigger than either person expected.

And it all starts with someone named Russ.

Officer Russ Moller: The Human Behind the Badge

Russ Moller isn’t just someone in uniform. He’s a husband, a dog dad, a guy who trains pups in his spare time. Though, honestly, I don’t know where he finds the time. He’s one of those people who always seems to be doing something helpful. Quietly, without making a big deal about it.

Recently, Russ stopped by my home to pick up his Power Cell edition of Bolt Voltage, the special reward from our Kickstarter campaign. We ended up talking for a while. Not just about the book, but about life. About dogs. About kids. About the neighborhoods we care about and the people who live in them.

My wife and I had already picked out the page from the book that felt the most fitting to give him. It was the scene where Bolt leaves behind the noise of the city, passes the quiet old farm, and ends up at the shoreline. The boardwalk is run down. The rides are rusted. The past is there, but it’s faded. Still, somehow, there’s this calm that comes with it.

It’s a moment of change. Of moving forward. Of being ready to write a new story.

That page reminds me of how Russ and I first became friends. Not in any flashy or dramatic way. Just two people with a shared understanding that something good could grow here. Something worth investing in.

Outreach That Feels Like It Matters

During that conversation, Russ shared some ideas he’s been working on with the Waretown Police Department. Outreach programs that focus on children and families. The kind that go beyond education and actually make a connection.

He told me he wants to create space for kids to see police officers not as distant figures, but as real people. People who care. People they can talk to, laugh with, and trust.

And that’s where Bolt came in.

We talked about creating coloring pages that feature scenes where Bolt interacts with officers. Pages where he learns about safety, helps out in the community, or simply listens and learns. Stories told through images that kids can color in and make their own.

Because art is more than decoration. It’s a conversation starter. It’s a bridge.

For some children, their very first interaction with a police officer might come through a school event or a local emergency. But what if their first positive connection came through a robot who’s just trying to understand the world around him? A robot who’s curious and kind, and always trying to do the right thing.

Why It Matters Right Now

We live in a complicated world. One where trust can be hard to come by and even harder to hold onto.

Communities are made of people. But when those people feel disconnected, the whole structure starts to weaken. That’s why these small, sincere gestures are so important.

Outreach isn’t just about showing up. It’s about how you show up. It’s about getting on the ground, sitting next to a kid at a table, and coloring together. It’s about being present. Listening. Letting kids see the human being behind the uniform.

That’s the kind of work that doesn’t always get headlines, but it matters. It builds something lasting.

And in a time when people are constantly pulled in every direction, that kind of presence is a gift.

The Bigger Picture: Beyond Waretown

This isn’t just about one town or one department. If this works in Waretown, and I believe it will, it could become something that other communities can take part in.

I’d love to see this idea grow into other places, like my own township. We could partner with fire departments or emergency medical services. Not just to raise awareness of the important work they do, but to make those buildings more familiar. More inviting.

When kids walk past the firehouse, I want them to know what’s inside. I want them to see the people working there as role models. Helpers. Neighbors.

Imagine a fire department open house where every child walks away with a storybook they helped color. One that features real members of their local station alongside Bolt and Amp, working together to protect and care for the community.

That’s the vision. Not just creating a stronger community, but reimagining what our society could look like when it’s grounded in mutual respect and shared effort.

Why Art? Why Storytelling?

Because they work.

Stories and illustrations create a safe place for big emotions. A child who might feel anxious around sirens or uniforms can still feel comforted by a picture of Bolt helping patch up a robot in distress. A teen who might feel misunderstood can still find meaning in a story about compassion and bravery.

Even for parents, these moments matter. Sitting down to color a page with your child might be the only quiet moment you get all day. And in that quiet, something shifts. Healing begins. Trust builds.

We can’t solve every problem in the world. But we can create moments. Real ones. Ones that kids remember. Ones that shape how they see their neighbors and how they see themselves.

What We’re Working On

Right now, Russ and I are exploring what a Waretown-specific activity pack could look like. Something that speaks to the local community and invites children into the world of public service in a way that feels fun, safe, and inspiring.

Here are some of the ideas we’ve been tossing around:

• A set of themed coloring pages that show Bolt working alongside officers, firefighters, and EMS teams
• A “Meet the Heroes” page where kids can draw their favorite local helpers
• Story pages that encourage reflection and discussion between kids and adults
• Workshops in schools or at community centers that build trust and inspire curiosity
• A digital version of the activity pack for kids who are homebound or neurodivergent
• A mural series that features Bolt and local responders, painted with help from students and families

We want to meet kids where they are. On their level. In their language. And let them know they belong here. That this community is theirs too.

Looking Ahead: A Community That Breathes Together

I didn’t create Bolt Voltage to be a campaign or a mascot. I created him to explore what it means to be alive. To make mistakes. To learn. To care.

But over time, I’ve realized that these stories, these drawings, and these projects can be more than art. They can be tools. They can help rebuild the connections we’ve lost. They can help us remember how to trust, how to listen, and how to look out for each other.

This collaboration with the Waretown Police Department is just the beginning. I want to take this message on the road. To other towns. Other schools. Other stations that believe in the power of community care.

Because when we slow down long enough to truly see each other, we remember that we’re all part of something larger. We remember that safety, healing, and kindness start at home. And that home is wherever we decide to build it.

One page at a time.

One heart at a time.

One honest connection that says, you matter.

And if we can do that, even just a little, then maybe we’re already reshaping the world into something better than we left it.