DCSO takes a new look at an old case. In 2005, Ms Rosa Lee Crabtree was found brutally murdered in her home in Rougemont, a quiet community in northern Durham County. On this episode, we speak with her niece and the investigator assigned to the case today about what’s happening now.
1 May 2026
Episode 15: Employee Wellness
Balancing the demands of law enforcement and mental health is important to the Sheriff’s Office, now led by our Wellness Coordinator, Lt. Anthony Sharp. In this segment, Sheriff Birkhead & Lt. Sharp discuss overall officer wellness, peer support programs, and other in-house initiatives to develop coping skills and achieve the proper work/life balance.
2 Sept 2025
Episode 14: Seniors, Scams and PACE
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.
6 Aug 2025
Episode 13: School Resource Officers
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 Schools to keep students from entering the court system unnecessarily, often using referrals and other interventions instead of arrests. They are also responsible for ensuring the safety and security of everyone on campus.
To prepare for this unique role, our SROs receive specialized training focused on working with young people. This includes de-escalation techniques, crisis intervention, and mental health awareness, all designed to help them mentor and guide students effectively.
On this episode, Sheriff Clarence Birkhead speaks with SRO Captain Andre Hinton about the great work DCSO's SROs do.
9 May 2025
Episode 12: Immigration
In this edition, Sheriff Birkhead interviews local attorney Allison Chan to discuss the roles, responsibilities, and boundaries between immigration law and law enforcement.
24 Oct 2024
Episode 11 Public Information & Special Events
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.
4 Sept 2024
Episode 10: CIT & Mental Health
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.
17 Jul 2024
Episode 9: SMART Anniversary
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.
6 Mar 2024
Episode 8: Scams and Fraud
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 Attorney General (https://ncdoj.gov/protecting-consumers/)or the Federal Trade Commission (https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-consumer-protection). If you'd like someone from the Sheriff's Office to come and speak at your community organization about these issues or any others call us at 919-560-7474.
16 Jan 2024
Episode 7: Sheriff's Community Advisory Board
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.
11 Nov 2023
Episode 6: Training & Recruitment
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 please contact the Training Division at (919) 560-0930 or visit our website www.DurhamSheriff.com/Join-The-Team
14 Sept 2023
DCSO Star Talk Episode 5 - Animal Services
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 future episode of "Star Talk" leave a comment or email us at feedback@durhamsheriff.org. (mailto:feedback@durhamsheriff.org)
25 Aug 2023
Star Talk Episode 4 - School Resource Officers
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.
24 Jul 2023
Episode 3: DCSO Detention Services
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.
8 Jun 2023
Durham HEART
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 of September 2022. Our goal with these pilot approaches is to connect our Durham neighbors to the right care — starting from the point at which someone calls 9-1-1, to the warm handoff to those prepared to help meet the needs of our neighbors in crisis.
5 May 2023
Episode 1: The Role of the Office of the Sheriff
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.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
305,155
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
4.5 / 5
2 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 28 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
12
Social presence
0
YouTube
82
Engagement
27
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