It was the late 1980s in Anchorage, Alaska. A young Jeb Bozarth walked the halls of West Anchorage High, already feeling the pull of service. His family was military. Discipline, sacrifice, and duty weren’t abstract concepts, they were dinner table conversations.
That environment shaped him early. By 18, he was already on the path that would define his life: service in uniform.
Navy Years
Bozarth enlisted in the U.S. Navy and spent 14 years as a Seabee Equipment Operator 1st Class. He became a Seabee Combat Warfare Specialist, deploying to the Persian Gulf during Operation Southern Watch, to Somalia for Restore Hope, and to Iraq for Operations Iraqi Freedom II and III.
The deployments were long, grueling, and often unpredictable. Equipment broke down in the desert heat, missions stretched longer than planned, and danger was constant.
“There were plenty of days I wasn’t sure I was ready,” Bozarth admits. “But quitting was never an option. You learn to adjust.”
That mindset of adapting under pressure would later carry him into law enforcement.
Joining Henderson PD
In 2006, Bozarth joined the Henderson Police Department in Nevada. He started in patrol, learning the city block by block. He rotated through SWAT, the Problem Solving Unit, and the Training Bureau.
His early police years were not without mistakes. “I was eager, sometimes too eager,” he says. “I had to learn to slow down and listen more.”
That humility, acknowledging errors and adjusting, became one of his trademarks as a leader.
Defining Moment: Medal of Valor
In 2009, Bozarth’s composure was tested in a crisis that earned him the Henderson Police Department Medal of Valor. He rarely describes the details, but he remembers the clarity that training gave him.
“You don’t rise to the occasion,” he explains. “You fall back on preparation. That’s what saved me that day.”
Climbing the Ranks
By 2018, Bozarth was promoted to Sergeant, supervising patrol squads. His reputation for steadiness and integrity led to his promotion to Lieutenant, where he was given command of SWAT and K9 operations.
Leadership brought new challenges. “It’s not about being the best shot or the loudest voice,” he says. “It’s about being consistent. People need to trust you’ll be the same person tomorrow as you were yesterday.”
The Route 91 Harvest Festival shooting in 2017 reinforced that lesson. Bozarth was among the responders, facing one of the darkest nights in Las Vegas history. “That night never leaves you,” he reflects. “It showed me how fragile life is and how important preparation is.”
Transition to Teaching
After nearly two decades, Bozarth retired from the force. But service didn’t end. He founded Critical Training Solution LLC, a company teaching civilians how to respond to threats with tools like Run Hide Fight training.
His clients now include universities, schools, convention centers, and nightclubs. The goal isn’t fear, it’s confidence. “The worst time to figure out what to do is when it’s already happening,” he says.
Even here, he faced setbacks. An early session fell flat. “I could see people disengaging,” he recalls. “That night, I rewrote the training. The next day was better. That failure made the program what it is today.”
Anchored in Family and Faith
Away from the uniform, Bozarth is a husband to Erica Lynn and father of five. He is active in his parish, Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. He finds balance in simple pleasures: working cattle, fishing, golf, and barbecue.
And, of course, hockey. He laughs about being a “fanatical” Golden Knights supporter. “I might take the game too seriously,” he admits.
The Lesson of a Lifetime
Looking back, Bozarth sees his career less as a list of awards than as a series of recoveries. From mistakes as a young officer to the challenges of leading in tragedy, the through line is learning.
“I wasn’t perfect,” he says. “But I tried to get better after every stumble. That’s what leadership really is.”
From Anchorage to Iraq to Henderson, the arc is clear. Service, resilience, and steady leadership.
Interview with Lieutenant Jeb Bozarth
What first drew you to service?
Family. Everyone served. It wasn’t a question of if, just when and how.
What was your toughest lesson in the Navy?
That equipment will fail and plans will change. You can’t freeze. You adapt and keep going.
What about law enforcement tested you the most?
Patience. I was eager in my early years. I had to learn to slow down and really listen.
What moment sticks with you most?
Route 91. Nothing prepares you for that scale of tragedy. It made me more committed to training others.
What’s the hardest mistake you’ve made?
Failing to connect with a training group. It hurt at the time, but it made me rethink how I teach.
What matters most to you today?
Family, faith, and consistency. Those are the things that outlast the job.
