About Matt Bloodgood
Matt brings over three decades of law enforcement expertise, beginning his career with the Anchorage (AK) Police Department (APD) in 1987 and serving full-time from 1990 until retirement in 2011. His distinguished tenure included roles as SWAT team leader, Patrol Sergeant, Traffic Unit Supervisor, Crime Scene Investigator, Field Training Officer, and Police Academy Training Supervisor.
Recognized early for his tactical and instructional expertise, Matt became the department’s lead Less Lethal Weapons Instructor in 1997 and expanded to Firearms and Taser instruction in 2000. Over his career, he conducted extensive investigations into more than 150 less lethal and Taser incidents, contributing significantly to policy and training development.
In 2011, Matt joined Idaho Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST), serving first as Regional Training Coordinator and later as Statewide Firearms Coordinator, managing instructor certification and statewide firearms training. He retired from Idaho POST in January 2025 after training thousands of officers in firearms, tactics, de-escalation, use of force, and less lethal weapons.
Matt holds a Master of Science in Human Resource Development from Idaho State University and is a Nationally Certified Instructor by the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training. He is court-recognized as a use-of-force expert in Alaska and Virginia, and regularly consults on federal civil litigation cases.
