Badges & Banter
Leadership in Public Safety
Welcome to Badges & Banter, your go-to podcast for expert insights and innovative discussions on the forefront of public safety, military operations, and city and state government experiences – with plenty of banter. Each episode features subject matter experts sharing their wealth of knowledge and real-world experiences. Tune in to for valuable perspectives and thought-provoking conversations.
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Past Episodes
Episode 6
Badges & Banter Podcast
Episode 6: CEO Gregg Bird
In this episode of Badges & Banter, we sit down with CEO Greg Bird, a career emergency manager and founder of Preparedness 360 Solutions, to talk leadership, dispatch, EMS, and building real relationships across disciplines. From running a 911 center to helping agencies unify command, Greg shares how half-baked ideas, listening, and treating people right can change everything — in the field and in life.
Episode 5
Badges & Banter Podcast
Episode 5: Edward McCrane
In this episode of Badges & Banter, Emergency Management Director Edward McCrane Jr. breaks down leadership, multi-agency collaboration, and how technology is shaping disaster response.
Episode 4
Badges & Banter Podcast
Episode 4: Jason Aldean’s Tour Manager Jake LaGrone
Listen to the story of what it was like to be firsthand at the devastating Las Vegas mass shooting in 2017 with Jason Aldean’s Tour Manager Jake LaGrone.
Episode 3
Badges & Banter Podcast
Episode 3: Sam Greif, City of Plano, TX
Join us for a great conversation on preparedness for civil unrest with our special guest Deputy City Manager Sam Greif from the City of Plano, Texas.
Episode 2
Badges & Banter Podcast
Episode 3: Elliott Reep, City of Carrollton, TX
Join us for one of the best conversations with our guest Emergency Manager Elliott Reep from the City of Carrollton, Texas.
Episode 1
Badges & Banter Podcast
Episode 1: Our start in the industry
Take a deep dive on how your hosts Jeff Halstead & Ken Kehmna got started on their journey’s as a Fire Chief & Police Chief.
Your Hosts
Ken Kehmna is a retired Fire Chief from Santa Clara County, with extensive experience in emergency management and public safety. He served as the county’s Fire Marshal and led the Office of Emergency Management and 9-1-1 Communications. Ken held key roles with CAL OES Fire & Rescue and the FIRESCOPE Board, driving innovation and maintaining industry leadership.
Jeff Halstead is a retired Commander (Phoenix PD) and retired major city police chief, (Fort Worth PD). He is the founder of CONNECT (formerly Evertel) and has served as a global police consultant with an expertise at implementing advancing technology for public safety agencies.
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