Sault says hello to 'Traffic Joe' animated safety videos

Sault's Traffic Joe on the lookout for bad driving The Sault Police Service is using a digital representation of its traffic sergeant to deliver traffic safety tips.

The Sault Ste. Marie Police Service is hoping a new approach to traffic safety messaging will resonate with the public.

Police communications personnel have been working on a series of videos featuring the force’s new digital mascot, Traffic Joe. The character is the alter ego of real-life traffic Sgt. Joe Poderys.

“We started talking about different, unique kinds of ways to bring traffic safety to the community and we were like, ‘what if we had an animated ‘Traffic Joe?’” said Lincoln Louttit, director of communications for the police.

“He was OK with the idea because it saves him from being on-camera. And then Chelsey Foucher in our corporate comms office, learned how to do all the animation from scratch and we think it’s been a hit.”

“I hope the video series itself just brings a little bit of levity and humanity to what we do and brings awareness to some of the stuff that some people are annoyed in with in day-to-day driving,” Poderys said.

“We’re going to try to cover a range of topics,” said Louttit.

“Your regular stuff -- don’t speed, drive sober. But we also want to get out on a limb a little bit and use some tangents and things that really kind of grind Joe’s gears, so to speak.”

Louttit said Traffic Joe episodes will be shared on the police Facebook, Instagram and X accounts. New videos will be posted every few weeks.