Star Talk

Star Talk

A podcast from the Durham County Sheriff’s Office in Durham, NC

Episodes

September 2, 2025 32 mins

How can we better support and protect the seniors in our community? Sheriff Birkhead is joined by Tory Engram and Ro'Nyka Grizzle of Volunteers for America to shine a light on the PACE Program. Tune in to learn about the comprehensive medical and social services available and get essential insights on how to safeguard seniors from common scams and fraud.

Mark as Played

The School Resource Officer (SRO) program at the Durham County Sheriff's Office places deputies on campus to serve as a resource for students, staff, and the school community. These aren't just security guards; they are specially trained deputies who work to build positive relationships with young people.

A key part of their role is to act as a bridge between the school and the community. Our SROs collaborate with Durham Public Sch...

Mark as Played
May 9, 2025 38 mins

In this edition of Star Talk, Sheriff Birkhead interviews local immigration attorney Allison Chan to discuss the roles, responsibilities, and boundaries between immigration law and law enforcement.

Mark as Played

Durham County Sheriff's Office Public Relations and Communications Manager David Bowser and Senior Public Information Specialist AnnMarie Breen talk about the Public Information Office, upcoming fall events, and provide information on an uptick in recent phone scams impacting Durham residents. 

Mark as Played
September 4, 2024 34 mins

September's episode features the Sheriff's Office and Crisis Intervention Training. DCSO and or partner agencies throughout Durham County participate in the CIT Program. The training our deputies, detention officers, and communicators receive helps them to recognize mental health signs, and symptoms, as well as how to apply de-escalation techniques. The study covers homelessness, substance abuse, and other special populations such ...

Mark as Played
July 17, 2024 24 mins

As we reach the 5th Anniversary of the Sheriff's Medication Assisted Restorative Treatment Program or SMART, Sheriff Birkhead talks about how the first detention center opioid treatment program in the State is helping detainees recover from addiction.   He is joined by the supervisor of the SMART Program Tammy Vaughn and community health worker Ronald Gary as they look back on the program's start and what's in store for the future....

Mark as Played
March 6, 2024 29 mins

During Star Talk's episode 8, Sheriff Birkhead and Criminal Investigation Division Capt. Eric Carpenter discuss common scams and fraud that are occurring with increased frequency in Durham County and throughout the state. They also touch on other ways to protect yourself from crimes like property theft while at home and away.  

If you need more information on scams and fraud you can visit the websites for the North Carolina Attorne...

Mark as Played

This edition of the Durham County Sheriff's Office podcast "Star Talk" will discuss community engagement and how our office is connecting with Durham County residents.

Sheriff Birkhead is joined by three members of the “Sheriff’s Community Advisory Board”; a voluntary organization created in 2019 to build trust between law enforcement and local neighborhoods.

Mark as Played
November 11, 2023 32 mins

Sheriff Birkhead and Capt. Kimberly Lane discuss the agency's training division and recruitment efforts in this episode of Star Talk. 

The Durham County Sheriff’s Office is seeking qualified candidates who embody the values and diversity of the Durham County community. 

We are now accepting applications for Detention Officer and Deputy Sheriff from individuals who are both certified and non-certified.  If you have any questions ple...

Mark as Played
September 14, 2023 22 mins

Sheriff Clarence Birkhead discusses the Durham County Sheriff's Office Animal Services Division with Captain Mark Manning who oversees its operation. 

The Durham County Animal Services office is located at 3005 Glenn Road and is open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office should be contacted for information purposes only at 919-560-0630. 

If you have questions comments or an idea for what you'd like to hear on a fut...

Mark as Played

In this edition of Star Talk, we cover a very important topic as local public schools return to the classroom on August 28!

Sheriff Birkhead discusses our School Resource Officer Program with SRO division head Captain Bryce Meyers.

Captain Meyers and the Sheriff talk about DCSO’s relationship with Durham Public Schools to keep schools safe and how SROs are a resource for children learning in the classroom.

Mark as Played
July 24, 2023 33 mins

Sheriff Birkhead discusses the role of the detention services divisions, as well as the programs and services offered to the residents of the Durham County Detention Center. 

Mark as Played
June 8, 2023 27 mins

Sheriff Clarence F. Birkhead discusses the Durham HEART Program with Director Ryan Smith.  

HEART which stands for Holistic Empathetic Assistance Response Teams was launched on June 27th, 2022.  The 3 crisis response pilots aim to connect people experiencing non-violent mental health crises or quality of life concerns with the right care by sending new responses that better match residents’ needs. A fourth pilot launched at the end...

Mark as Played

In this inaugural episode of the Durham County Sheriff's Office podcast "Star Talk", Sheriff Clarence F. Birkhead discusses the history of the Office of the Sheriff and the Durham County Sheriff's Office, and the agency's role in the community.

Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

    Dateline NBC

    Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

    CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist

    It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.

    The Breakfast Club

    The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!

    Crime Junkie

    Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.