Guests – Stephen Mundt, Kristofer Knapp, Betsy Smith

Oro Valley Police Secure New Contract After Community Support

The Oro Valley Police Officers Association has successfully secured a new compensation package after months of negotiations that began last November. Kristopher Knapp, president of the association, shared details of the resolution following a unanimous 5-0 vote by the Oro Valley Town Council.

"Where it all came from was after the May 7th council meeting, we had the opportunity to start meeting with the mayor and some council members," Knapp explained. "The information being presented wasn't super accurate to them. I feel bad for the mayor because he made a decision on May 7th based off information he believed to be accurate."

Once the association had the chance to meet directly with the mayor and council members, they were able to present their side and work through the issues step by step. The result was a package that Knapp described as "almost exactly what we asked for in the first place."

The new contract includes pay increases starting at over 8% and extends for four years. Importantly, the agreement includes an option to reopen negotiations if circumstances change that would put officers back in their previous situation.

Knapp emphasized that despite initial appearances, the mayor and council have consistently supported law enforcement: "I think people started to question whether the mayor and council truly supported us. And I think the proof is in the pudding that they did. Unfortunately for them, they didn't have all the facts at the time of that May 7th council meeting, so it made them look like they don't support us."

The resolution demonstrates the impact of community involvement, as hundreds of citizens attended the May meeting to show support for their police department. The pay increase is expected to help with recruitment and retention, ensuring Oro Valley maintains its status as one of the safest cities in Arizona.

"The only reason that happened is because of the mayor and council," Knapp noted. "I think we have to take away the question of whether they supported us or not. I think that's 100% off the issue and they showed it."

Military Challenges and National Security Concerns with General Steve Mundt

Retired Brigadier General Steve Mundt, formerly with Army Aviation and the Pentagon, addressed several pressing military and national security issues facing the United States.

The Elon Musk-Trump Disagreement

Addressing the public disagreement between Elon Musk and President Donald Trump, Mundt characterized it as a clash between "two very, very talented, like triple A personalities."

"I think they allow their egos and their tempers to get the best of them," Mundt observed. He suggested that Musk's frustration stems from discovering that trimming the federal government isn't as straightforward as restructuring a business.

"Elon has been frustrated because you cannot trim the federal government as he's found out. Even though you should be able to, you can't trim the federal government the same way you do in a business in order to make it viable," Mundt explained.

He noted that Musk may not fully understand how Washington works: "Until you get a bill, which is what the House passed to the Senate, you can't get to reconciliation. The bill is really talking more about what you're going to fund and what you're not going to fund. When you get into reconciliation, then you can start to make cuts."

Despite the public nature of the dispute, Mundt believes it will ultimately resolve itself, though he acknowledged it was "not their finest hour."

Ukraine-Russia Conflict Developments

Turning to the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, Mundt detailed a recent significant Ukrainian counterattack that demonstrated their resilience despite limited resources.

"Ukraine's a small little country. It's not huge when you talk about the resources and the rest of things, and everybody has said, 'Well, they don't have the resources. They can't stand this fight. They're going to have to give up. They're going to have to trade territory for peace,'" Mundt said.

Despite these predictions, Ukraine executed a sophisticated operation: "They come out of nowhere, literally move all these building units into Russia near bases along their highways, packed with drones, and all of a sudden at a given point in time all over the country, these brutes pop off the walls, fall down, the drones take off. They attack all these bases."

The attack reportedly disabled about a third of Russia's strategic bombers that had been attacking Ukraine for years. Russia's subsequent retaliatory strike—involving over 400 drones and missiles—resulted in just three deaths and 49 injuries, which Mundt sees as evidence that "Russia may think they've done something, but it hasn't moved that needle one way."

Addressing the complex history of the conflict, Mundt noted that after the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Ukraine returned nuclear weapons to Russia under an international agreement. He also pointed out that Ukraine was denied NATO membership while other countries were admitted, creating a security vulnerability.

On the path forward, Mundt advocated for continued dialogue: "I think the leadership role is you got to get these two sides to continue to talk. You've got to get the Europeans to come in. There have to be economic and other kinds of measures that are placed against people who aren't willing to cooperate and come to the table."

Future of Army Aviation and Military Procurement

Mundt shared insights on military procurement challenges, focusing on Bell's development of the FLRAA (Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft), which the Army has designated as the MB-75.

"Bell is making Flora," Mundt explained, noting it's "a much, much better platform than the V-22" that Bell also produced.

He reported that Bell has committed to accelerating delivery of the first unit equipped with eight helicopters by 2027-2028, but with conditions: "What Bell has said is that they went back to them and said, 'We can do it if you, the government, get out of our way.' But if you want to do the same bureaucracy that you do on everything, we can't get there from here."

Mundt expressed concerns about the military's investment in aviation platforms: "Right now, I see no money in future development, future improvements for the Apache. And I see no money for the future improvements of the Mike Model Blackhawk, and I see no money beyond for the CH-47 Block II. If I look at all those technologies, those are 10 to 15-year-old technology."

He emphasized that historically, platforms required technology upgrades every three to seven years to maintain battlefield superiority: "If we wanted America's sons and daughters to have the best equipment possible, that's the issue at hand now. So if you're not going to have manned aviation and you're not investing in it, I got it. But if you're going to keep manned aviation around, you better figure out what you're going to invest in, how much of it you're going to keep."

Chinese Threat and American Self-Reliance

Mundt warned about America's dangerous dependence on China for critical supplies and manufacturing, pointing to recent incidents like Chinese students bringing potential biological weapons into the United States.

"If people really think that China wants to see the US succeed, I'm sorry, I totally disagree with you. They want to see the US fail, and they're doing everything they can possibly do to do that," he stated.

He pointed to the auto industry's supply chain vulnerabilities: "Where are the auto manufacturers having a problem with? Because we've allowed and we've shipped all of our supply chain over to China. And so now you even hear today in the news that some of the auto manufacturers, because they fear losing that availability of resources, that they will go ahead and keep their production perhaps in China and now pay the higher tariff to get it into the United States because they need it to produce cars."

Mundt compared this economic dependency to addiction and highlighted the national security implications of China purchasing farmland near important military facilities. "What makes you think that the Chinese that had bought up all this farmland near very, very important military facilities and national security facilities could not do something similar [to recent attacks]?" he questioned.

Law Enforcement Updates with Betsy Smith

Betsy Smith, spokesperson for the National Police Association, provided updates on law enforcement issues across the country and reflected on recent developments affecting police officers.

Chicago Officer's Death in the Line of Duty

Smith shared the tragic news of Chicago Police Officer Crystal Rivera's death in the line of duty. The 36-year-old officer was killed late in the evening while participating in a tactical operation.

"Crystal was one of those that chased him, and he turned on her, and he shot and killed her," Smith explained. "She's a 36-year-old. She's a young woman. She's been on the job for four years. She's a single mom."

Rivera is the 31st line of duty death among law enforcement this year nationally and one of approximately 200 officers who have been shot in 2025 so far. Smith noted she is the third female officer to die in the line of duty this year and the 15th to die by gunfire.

The fallen officer served in Chicago's sixth district and was the second officer killed in months in the Chatham neighborhood. Smith pointed out the challenges facing the Chicago Police Department: "Right now, God bless them, is working for a mayor who has about a 6% approval rating. And he is doing everything he can to spend his overblown budget on everything except law enforcement."

President Trump's Meeting with the Fraternal Order of Police

On a more positive note, Smith highlighted President Trump's recent meeting with the Fraternal Order of Police, the largest police union in the United States, which has endorsed Trump in all three of his presidential campaigns.

"President Trump invited the Fraternal Order of Police National Executive Board to the White House to have a little round table just to kind of thank them," Smith said. She noted that the president declared himself "the most pro police president ever," a statement Smith agrees with: "He is by far and away the most pro police president we've ever had, especially because he was present at a time when law enforcement was just being vilified and demonized."

Smith sees this meeting as part of a broader return to normalcy: "Shouldn't people want to back the blues? Shouldn't people want their police officers out there doing their jobs?"

Supreme Court Decisions

Smith also commented on recent Supreme Court decisions that were decided unanimously, including a case involving reverse discrimination: "One was out of Ohio where a woman was given clearance to sue her employer, who was the government, for reverse discrimination because she was a state woman, a state social worker. And she was passed over for promotion as a...and she was told this as a straight white woman. And she prevailed."

Smith views these decisions as a positive sign: "It was a good day for the judiciary, I think. And again, just what we talked about, return to normalcy."

Bernie Kerik's Funeral

Smith reported on the funeral of former New York City Police Commissioner Bernie Kerik, who passed away on May 29 at age 69. Kerik, who served as commissioner during the September 11, 2001 attacks, was laid to rest with full law enforcement honors at St. Patrick's Cathedral.

"It was just so moving to watch the full New York City Police Department Honor Guard carry in his flag-draped casket," Smith recalled. "He was buried with full law enforcement honors. And he was also a military veteran."

Kerik served in the military police and was stationed in Korea during his service in the United States Army. Smith remembered him as "always very direct in his statements" who "always was pro law enforcement" and "never wavered in his support of President Trump."

Border Security Measures

Smith concluded by noting the Trump administration's actions to enhance border security, particularly the special measures to resume wall construction in Yuma, Tucson, and El Paso to support Border Patrol agents.

"They're going to do special way to get it funded back to where it was so that he can keep his promise to keep this nation secure," Smith said. "And I think his actions continue to be those that support the safety of Americans."

In his remarks to the Fraternal Order of Police, President Trump emphasized his commitment to law enforcement: "Under the Trump administration, those days are over. We're back in the men in blue and we're back into blue very honestly. We have some of the greatest people in the country sitting right around this table."