National Police Association Podcast

What happens when the people who answer everyone else’s call for help need support themselves? On this episode of the National Police Association Podcast, Sgt. Betsy Brantner Smith welcomes Dr. Stephanie Conn, a former police officer who now helps first responders navigate the emotional demands of their profession. As the daughter and wife of police officers, Conn brings both professional expertis...

On this episode of the National Police Association Podcast, host Sgt. Betsy Brantner Smith welcomes retired Chicago Police Lieutenant Richard Rybicki for a candid conversation about his 29-year law enforcement career, the enduring importance of talking to people, and his second career as an author. Rybicki, whose father also served as a Chicago police officer, explains why he chose a life inside t...

Thomas Kenniff on Defending Police Officers, Equal Justice, and the Omar Habib Case Sergeant Betsy Brantner Smith welcomes attorney, Army veteran, and author Thomas Kenniff to the National Police Association Podcast for a conversation about service, constitutional protections, and the legal challenges facing police officers. Kenniff shares his journey from corporate law to working as a prosecutor...

On this episode of the National Police Association Podcast, host Sgt. Betsy Brantner Smith (Ret.) welcomes retired NYPD Detective Marique Bartoldus , author of 20 and Out and host of Monz on the Mic . With humor and candor, Bartoldus shares stories from a career spanning transit, patrol, street narcotics, anticrime, and field intelligence. Bartoldus explains how her daughter’s simple question, “Mo...

On this episode of the National Police Association Podcast, Sgt. Betsy Brantner Smith sits down with Chief Patrick Flannelly, a veteran law enforcement leader, trainer, writer, podcaster, and longtime advocate for improving the physical health and performance of America's police officers. Flannelly began his career in the U.S. Air Force Security Police before attending Purdue University and joinin...

Leonard Sipes returns to the National Police Association Podcast for a wide-ranging discussion with host Sgt. Betsy Brantner Smith (Ret.) about the state of crime in America, why different government statistics can produce dramatically different pictures of public safety, the explosion of fraud and cybercrime, the decline of proactive policing, and the consequences of decarceration. Sipes has spen...

Fighting Parole for the Killer of LAPD Officer Jim Pagliotti — with Glynn Martin Nearly forty years after 28-year-old LAPD Officer Jim Pagliotti was shot and killed in the line of duty, the man convicted of his murder is once again approaching a parole hearing. For Pagliotti's family, friends, and fellow officers, that means once again reliving a loss that has never gone away. On this episode of t...

In Part Two of her conversation with retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent John Nantz , National Police Association spokesperson Sgt. Betsy Brantner Smith (Ret.) continues an inside look at Nantz’s recent sit-down with FBI Director Kash Patel at FBI Headquarters. Nantz, a former FBI supervisory special agent and contributor to Townhall and Restoration News, discusses what he learned about Patel’s...

In this episode of the National Police Association Podcast, Sgt. Betsy Brantner Smith (Ret.) welcomes back retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent and Townhall columnist John Nantz for Part One of a conversation about his recent opportunity to sit down with FBI Director Kash Patel. Nantz and fellow retired FBI agent Chris Hinkle were invited to FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C., where they spent...

On this episode of the National Police Association Podcast, Sergeant Betsy Brantner Smith sits down with former United States Secret Service Special Agent Hazel Cerra, a 25-year veteran of federal law enforcement who has successfully transitioned from protecting presidents and world leaders to protecting corporate executives in the digital age. The conversation then turns to one of today's most pr...

In this powerful and deeply personal episode of the National Police Association Podcast, Rusty Myers shares the story behind his new book, Tattered: When the Blue Line Frays , which chronicles his experience of being terminated after an officer-involved arrest incident despite later being fully exonerated by South Carolina's Law Enforcement Training Council.  Myers discusses how a routine foot pur...

In this episode of the National Police Association Podcast, Sgt. Betsy Brantner Smith sits down with entrepreneur, podcaster, financial consultant, and law enforcement advocate Ken Bator. Ken shares his unique journey from banking and credit unions into the world of law enforcement advocacy and public safety media.  Betsy and Ken discuss the growing hostility toward law enforcement following Fergu...

On this episode of the National Police Association Podcast, host Betsy Brantner Smith welcomes Rebecca Lynn, creator of the popular Proud Police Wife platform, for an honest conversation about the realities of being married to a law enforcement officer.  Rebecca shares her personal journey as the spouse of a police officer for more than 20 years, explaining how difficult it was to find resources,...

In Part 2 of Sgt. Betsy Brantner Smith’s conversation with former Border Patrol Chief Greg Bovino, the discussion dives deep into the national debate surrounding illegal immigration, sanctuary city policies, immigration enforcement, and the growing hostility faced by Border Patrol and ICE agents in American cities. Bovino challenges the political phrase “worst of the worst,” arguing that limiting...

🔎 Episode Overview In this compelling first installment, Sgt. Betsy Brantner Smith sits down with recently retired U.S. Border Patrol Chief Greg Bovino, one of the most visible and outspoken leaders in modern border enforcement. Bovino reflects on his decades-long career, from humble beginnings to commanding high-profile operations across the country. The conversation explores the realities of il...

In this compelling episode, Sgt. Betsy Brantner Smith sits down with nationally recognized prosecutor, legal analyst, author, and speaker Wendy Patrick. With decades of courtroom experience and academic expertise in theology and human behavior, Patrick offers a unique perspective on crime, justice, and the psychological factors that shape both offenders and victims. The conversation explores the e...

In this episode, Sgt. Betsy Brantner Smith sits down with Sgt. Jon Rappa—an active law enforcement officer and nationally recognized instructor in interview and interrogation techniques. Rappa shares how personal tragedy shaped his career, breaks down the realities behind police questioning, and explains why communication—not coercion—is the most powerful tool officers have. Key Points Positive in...

Sgt. Betsy Brantner Smith sits down with former NYPD sergeant and cold case expert Joseph Giacalone, an investigator who turned “retirement” into a second career in media, teaching, and true crime storytelling. From leading Bronx cold case homicide investigations to educating the public on the realities behind crime, Giacalone shares hard-earned insights on solving decades-old murders, working wit...

In this episode of the National Police Association Podcast, Sergeant Betsy Brantner Smith sits down with veteran journalist, author, and law-enforcement communications expert Anne Schwartz. Their conversation covers Schwartz’s extraordinary career—from crime reporter to police public information officer—and her firsthand experience covering one of the most infamous criminal cases in modern history...

In this episode of the National Police Association Podcast, host Betsy Brantner Smith sits down with Michael Letts, a longtime law enforcement officer, pastor, Army veteran, and national advocate for first responders. Letts shares the remarkable journey that led him from ministry and national weightlifting competitions to decades of service in law enforcement. He also discusses the founding of InV...

On this episode of the National Police Association Podcast, Sgt. Betsy Brantner Smith sits down with Chad Bianco, Sheriff of Riverside County, California—and current candidate for Governor of California. Before the headlines and the statewide campaign, Sheriff Bianco spent 32 years in law enforcement serving the citizens of Southern California. In this wide-ranging conversation, he shares his unex...

In this powerful episode of the National Police Association Podcast, Sergeant Betsy Brantner Smith sits down with retired former Orlando Police Department officer Todd Herb to discuss a game-changing concept: providing first responders with elite-level sports medicine care to dramatically reduce recovery time, cut taxpayer costs, and protect morale. Todd shares how his post-law-enforcement journey...

In this powerful follow-up episode of the National Police Association Podcast, Sergeant Betsy Brantner Smith reconnects with Deputy Sheriff Dustin Reichert, whose 2021 interview about surviving an officer-involved shooting deeply impacted listeners. But as Dustin explains, that shooting was neither the beginning nor the end of his story. It was part of something much bigger. Topics: EMDR (Eye Move...

In this episode of the National Police Association Podcast, Sergeant Betsy Brantner Smith sits down with Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank, a constitutional sheriff who has emerged as a national voice for courageous law-enforcement leadership in the face of unprecedented political pressure. Sheriff Swank explains how Washington State’s “sanctuary” laws and legislative overreach threaten not only p...

In this episode of the National Police Association Podcast , Sgt. Betsy Brantner Smith welcomes back returning guest Henry “Hollywood” Morris, founder of Support Our Shields and a leading voice in independent media defending law enforcement, religious freedom, and American values. Hollywood shares why he launched Support Our Shields at the height of the “defund the police” movement and reflects on...