DPS Safety Scoop

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and North Carolina public safety professionals and first responders have a resource at their fingertips to assist with mental health services. The Responder Assistance Initiative, or RAI, meets the needs of North Carolinians by providing a sustainable continuum of wellness resources that connects North Carolina first responders to an integrated safety net of p...

In this episode we get to speak with contract administrator Jonelle Giulianelli, who describes her role with the community programs section and expands on what it’s like managing partnerships across the state for justice involved youth. Joining Jonelle is Ken Perry, who works for an organization mentioned several times in part one: Methodist Home for Children. Together they share uplifting stories...

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 comprehensive strategy to help prevent and reduce juv...

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 this episode, we are proud to introduce...

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 is pursuing the goal to ensure a fair and equitable...

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 share how GCC plans to move forward with federal...

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 collaboration that goes into protecting the nation's 16...

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. The Great ShakeOut Drill takes place on Octobe...

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 Hurricane Guide Prepare with Pedro Children's Ac...

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 conversation as he shares details that may be unknown to...

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 Preparedness Building Partnerships with the Private S...

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, administration, project management and more, ther...

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 episod...

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 Se...

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 prev...

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...

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,...

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 (whethe...

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...

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 Kalbaugh and Laura Silver join us to talk through the na...

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 S...

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.