The Division of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention with the North Carolina Department of Public Safety is committed to the reduction and prevention of juvenile delinquency by effectively intervening, educating and treating youth. This Safety Scoop episode we’ll hone in on the community programs section of the division, which provides a com…

For Women's History Month, we're shining a spotlight on a few talented women in leadership roles in the Division of Emergency Management. Traditionally, the fields of public safety and emergency management have been filled by individuals who are predominately white, male and former military. But there has been progress towards greater diversity. In…

For the first episode of season three we are shining the spotlight on an initiative that is relatively new to the department, but making great strides throughout the state. Brandy McKoy, the Director of the Task Force for Racial Equity in Criminal Justice, shares the history of the group since it was established in 2020, and the different ways it i…

Two staff members of the Governor's Crime Commission (GCC) join us in our final Safety Scoop episode of 2023 to discuss how changes to the Victim of Crime Act (VOCA) funding may impact organizations that help victims of crime recover and rebuild their lives. As they answer questions, guests Caroline Farmer and Sandy Dixon look to the future and sha…

November is Critical Infrastructure Security and Resiliency Month, but what does that really mean for you and me? In this Safety Scoop episode, Critical Infrastructure Specialist Rachel McGrath gives us a peek behind the curtain of how her section within the Division of Emergency Management responds to all hazards, as well as the work and collabora…

Another mini-episode of Safety Scoop; this time focusing on earthquake preparedness. Most of the southeast can and have experienced earthquakes, and North Carolina have had several notable earthquakes that date back to the 1700's. Podcast guests Laura Youngman and Kevin Kalbaugh share earthquake facts and things to remember when the ground shakes. …

Several Safety Scoop podcasts have been dedicated to sharing information about hurricane and severe weather preparedness, and this episode is no different. In this episode we discuss evacuations and the Know Your Zone initiative with guests Katie Webster and Diana Thomas. Resources mentioned in episode: Know Your Zone ReadyNC.gov Evacuation FAQs Hu…

The Private Protective Services Board is celebrating 50 years of providing licensing, education and training for private protective services throughout the state. In this episode of Safety Scoop, Paul Sherwin, Director of PPSB, shares his thoughts on how the board has evolved and what he envisions the coming years will be like. Listen to our conver…

This mini-episode of Safety Scoop walks listeners through a checklist of items for the Atlantic Hurricane Season that was built out by emergency management professionals to ensure the people of NC are weather ready. Other hurricane Safety Scoop episodes include: Hurricane Preparedness 2021 Catching up with NCEM's Director Ray Severe Weather Prepare…

Calling all job seekers, graduates, those interested in joining the public sector and everyone in between. The North Carolina Department of Public Safety is hiring and offers a stable environment for job seekers. With dozens of career paths spanning from working with justice-involved youth, emergency management, law enforcement, telecommunications,…

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 reco…

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 …

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 ser…

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 …

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…

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 mana…

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 workin…

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.…

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 Kalbau…

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 Ma…

DPS is hiring! Learn about the diverse professions and abundant career opportunities found within the Department of Public Safety. DPS recruiters Kevin Whitaker, Stephanie Bridgers, Joy Brown and Melissa Thames discuss benefits, tips for filling out applications, internships, opportunities for veterans and more.…

NC Emergency Management meteorologists Kevin Kalbaugh and Diana Thomas and NC State Highway Patrol Sergeant Marcus Bethea discuss how North Carolinians can prepare for winter weather in their homes and vehicles. Knowing what to do before severe weather hits is an important part of being weather ready, especially in the winter time.…

Hear what North Carolina’s prisons have been doing in 2020 to protect staff and offenders during the pandemic. And find out how the state plans to enhance safety, upgrade technology and improve offender rehabilitation in the coming months and years.

North Carolina's Department of Public Safety is charged with keeping the public safe, while also protecting its employees and those in the department’s custody. This spring, the COVID-19 pandemic prompted prison officials to begin looking at ways within the Secretary’s authority to reduce the prison population. One of those ways involves transition…

This special edition of the DPS Safety Scoop was recorded on April 8, 2020. In this episode, Commissioner of Prisons Todd Ishee and Deputy Commissioner Brande Harris discuss how the Division of Prisons prepared DPS prison facilities to fight against the spread of COVID-19 and the mitigation actions taken by staff across the state. Working alongside…

March is Women's History Month, and DPS is celebrating the women who uphold the department's mission across North Carolina. In this episode, we speak with Alcohol Law Enforcement Assistant Director for Administration Angela Hayes, who is the first female to serve as part of ALE’s leadership team. Hayes shares how she became interested in a role in …

March is Women's History Month, and DPS is celebrating the women who uphold the department's mission across North Carolina. In this episode, we are speaking with the first female to achieve the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the NC State Highway Patrol. Twenty-two years after starting her career as a trooper and forty years after the first female tr…

Your vote matters! Hear what North Carolina officials are doing to protect the integrity of our elections and, and what you need to do to make your vote count. North Carolina State Board of Election's Patrick-Gannon, NC National Guard CIO Lt.Col. Robert Felicio and NC Emergency Management Chief of Staff discuss how local, state and federal official…

Listen to three NCDPS leaders talk about who inspired them and the heritage that shaped them as they reflect on their heritage as African Americans. Hear Chief Deputy Secretary Cassandra Hoekstra, Colonel Glenn McNeill and Maxine Evans-Armwood share personal stories about the role models who guided them and what they hope their legacy will be.…

In June 2019, Todd Ishee was appointed Commissioner of Prisons by NCDPS Secretary Erik A. Hooks. With 30 years of correctional experience, Commissioner Ishee made it a priority to acquaint himself with all operating facilities across the state, as well as the staff. This episode not only introduces the commissioner, but also dives into the state of…

North Carolina is subject to numerous hazards, whether they are natural or man made. Hazard mitigation is meant to lessen the severity of the impacts experienced by individuals during events such as hurricanes, fires, floods, cyber attacks, chemical spills or others. Steve McGugan, NCEM Assistant Director, and Jason Pleasant, Hazard Mitigation Deve…

It's the second largest criminal enterprise in the world, and North Carolina ranks in the top 10 states for reports of this illegal activity. Listen to see what the Tar Heel state is doing to prevent human trafficking and what we all can do to help the thousands of women, children and men who are sold each year. In this episode, we are joined by NC…

Between ongoing prison reform efforts, implementing "Raise the Age" legislation, responding to and recovering from hurricanes and adding two new divisions, 2019 has been an extremely busy year for NCDPS. What's being done to improve safety in our prisons and how is the state helping hurricane victims recover?…

On December 1, 2019, North Carolina became the last state to "Raise the Age" ensuring that most non-violent criminal charges of children and teens will be heard in the juvenile system, not in the adult criminal system. How will this legislation make a difference for children and what are the impacts and costs to others? In this episode, we sit down…

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