The Safe Communities Podcast highlights ways in which we can have safer, healthier communities through drug and violence prevention. We promote healthy communities through interviews with individuals making a positive impact locally and nationally. The Safer Communities Podcast can be heard on Spotify and Apple Podcasts at the links below.
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Episode 1 – Captain James Teehan, Paramus PD
Capt. Teehan has taught the L.E.A.D. drug and violence prevention program to students in Paramus, N.J. for nearly a decade and has earned awards along the way. In this episode, the Captain talks about how he has expanded his impact with students by planning events beyond the classroom.
For more information about Capt. Teehan, read this article about his promotion to Captain in 2023: https://www.tapinto.net/towns/paramus/sections/police-and-fire/articles/james-teehan-promoted-to-paramus-police-captain
For more information about National Night Out, visit their website here: https://natw.org/
Episode 2 – Dr. Beth J. Sanborn
Dr. Sanborn discusses her webinar Hidden, High, and Hammered, and how it relates to Halloween. Dr. Sanborn also expounds on how to approach having difficult conversations with youth about drug use without alienating them.
Dr. Beth J Sanborn is the School Safety Coordinator for Montgomery County (PA). Prior to that she joined the Lower Gwynedd Police force in 1997 and served as a Patrol Officer. In 2015, she served as her department’s first School Resource Officer (SRO) and assumed responsibility for all juvenile cases, earning her the rank of Juvenile Detective until August 2022. She proudly retired from policing in September 2023 when she assumed the role as School Safety Coordinator. She also serves as a Co-Chair with the Montgomery County Office of Children and Youth Citizens Advisory Committee; and volunteers for Mission Kids Child Advocacy Center. She was a keynote speaker at L.E.A.D.’s National Training Conference in 2025.
For more information about Dr. Sanborn, including her webinar and publications, please visit bethjsanborn.com
Dr. Sanborn’s TedX talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_njfZA1SbI&t=3s