DPS Safety Scoop

Latest Episodes:

S2 E8: Behind the Scenes of the SHP Basic Patrol School May 19, 2023

Show notes

Before anyone in the state of North Carolina can claim the title of trooper, they must first undergo the rigorous basic patrol school. Weeks of physical and mental challenges, learning new skills, overcoming obstacles and the heightened sense of teamwork all leads to the end goal -- taking the oath, pinning on the badge and driving away in the recognizable black and silver cruiser. In this episode of Safety Scoop, we go behind the scenes to learn the process of selecting, training and supporting aspiring members of the NC State Highway Patrol. Guests include basic patrol school staff, recruitment and two cadets in the 158th basic school class. Listen now to hear what cadets experience from the first phase of the application up to the point they walk across the stage at graduation.

S2 E7: Close to the HEART - Autism Response Training Apr 27, 2023

Show notes

The Helping Enhance Autism Response Training or “HEART” program was established in 2020 and has since reached communities across the state. Learn more about how this program got started, why it is important for law enforcement/first responders and how it is shaping the department's outreach initiatives moving forward. This episode's guests include Casandra Skinner-Hoekstra, Chief Deputy Secretary of Administration, and autism advocate, speak and author Dennis Debbaudt. Both guests have children on the spectrum and share their individual experiences as caregivers and members of the HEART team.

S2 E6: Collaborating to Enhance Public Safety Training Mar 27, 2023

Show notes

To create a true culture of prevention, protection and preparedness, DPS prioritizes school safety as a core initiative. On top of other ongoing initiatives throughout the department, Samarcand Training Academy, which is located in Jackson Springs, recently welcomed the Center for Safer Schools into a newly renovated academic building that will serve as a temporary facility for on-site crisis prevention training. Hear from Samarcand Director Matthew Rebuck as he outlines this partnership and the facility expansion that will broaden the scope of training offered in North Carolina.

Content warning: This episode’s topic includes conversations about active assailant situations, including individuals with firearms on school campuses, as well as details about tactical training that prepares members of law enforcement for these situations.

S2 E5: Locating Missing People in North Carolina Feb 02, 2023

Show notes

The North Carolina Center for Missing Persons was created in 1985. Since then, the center has worked with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to locate missing individuals and reunite them with their loved ones. In this episode we sit down with the Center's director, Nona Everett, to discuss her decades long career in this role. Nona shares resources and expert tips on what to do if a loved one isn't where they should be.

Content Warning: This episode’s topic includes conversations where abduction, violence, human trafficking and death is mentioned or alluded to.

S2 E4: Building Partnerships with the Private Sector Jan 03, 2023

Show notes

This episode's guest, Persia Payne-Hurley, is the Private Sector Manager & Business Emergency Operation Center Coordinator. Since starting with NC Emergency Management in 2014, Persia has been tasked with not only building the state's first Business Emergency Operation Center, but also coordinating with the thousands of private sector partners. Her work with the BEOC is nationally recognized, and Persia's passion for her job can't be hidden. In this interview you'll get Persia's take on what went on behind the scenes of setting up the BEOC, what it takes to organize commodities in the middle of a disaster and how private sector companies can assist with NCEM's mission across the state.

S2 E3: Leadership Chat - Catching Up With NCEM's Director Ray Nov 21, 2022

Show notes

William Ray was appointed Director of North Carolina Emergency Management in August of 2021. With a little more than a year under his belt as director, we checked in with him to get his take on the last year of responding to and preparing for the various hazards North Carolina faces. In this podcast you'll get the inside scoop on how emergency management staff manage their day-to-day tasks (whether during "blue skies" or at the height of an emergency), goals for 2023 and what inspires Director Ray every day as he carries out his duties at the State Emergency Operations Center.

S2 E2: Working Security at the NC State Fair feat. Chief Chip Hawley Oct 18, 2022

Show notes

The North Carolina State Fair takes place every October and brings in around one million people. Many state agencies contribute to putting on the show that is the state fair, but one detail that may be overlooked by many fair goers is the effort that goes into ensuring the fair is a safe event. State Capitol Police Chief Chip Hawley has been working fair security in different roles since 1985. In this podcast, you'll hear him recount his duties over the years and how the NC State Fair security team achieves the mission of protecting everyone on the fairgrounds.

S2 E1: Fake IDs Impact Communities Oct 04, 2022

Show notes

In this episode we discuss how the Alcohol Law Enforcement Division is combating the use of fake IDs across North Carolina. Listen as Special Agent Brian White details the devastating consequences of fake ID use and underage drinking, as well as how outlets that sell alcoholic beverages can assist in stopping this trend in their communities.

E16: Hurricane Preparedness 2021 Jul 29, 2021

Show notes

Hurricane season is here and now is the time to make sure you are prepared in case North Carolina experiences impacts from one of these powerful storms. Many NC residents and visitors have seen the power and destruction of hurricanes firsthand and have experienced the hazards associated with them. NC Emergency Management meteorologists Kevin Kalbaugh and Laura Silver join us to talk through the natural hazards associated with hurricanes and how to be weather ready before, during and after a storm. NCEM Human Services Branch Manager Sandi Bridgers joins Safety Scoop for the first time to dive into what families can do to make sure they are prepared before a storm and how to build an emergency preparedness plan that fits your family's needs.

E15: Severe Weather Preparedness Mar 05, 2021

Show notes

Severe Weather Preparedness Week is an annual safety informational campaign that takes place around the change of the seasons in March. The purpose is to educate North Carolinians on the impacts and safety concerns aligned with severe weather that typically happens in the springtime: Thunderstorms, lightning, tornadoes and flooding. NC Emergency Management meteorologists Kevin Kalbaugh and Laura Silver share their knowledge of severe weather and the safest way to react if severe weather is happening around you, no matter where you are.

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