Matthew Thomas

Chief Deputy/Author

Matt is a native of Arizona, growing up in Phoenix. He is married to his wife of 29 years and has three children. Matt has been employed with the Pinal County Sheriff ’s Office for over 29 years, starting his career as a Detention Officer in 1993 and promoted through the ranks to his current position of Chief Deputy. He has served in several specialty units—Detention, Patrol, Traffic, Training, the Police Academy, Motors, Narcotics, and Investigations. Having served 18 years on the Pinal Regional SWAT team as a member, team leader, and finishing as the team commander, he was involved in and/or led over 700 missions during his tenure on SWAT. Matt has also worked in an undercover capacity, both as a detective and as a sergeant, while assigned to the Narcotics Unit. He has worked and supervised everything from street-level drug cases to large, organized-crime cases in a cartel-infested environment.
Matt’s current assignment is as the Sheriff ’s Executive Officer, serving as second-in-command for the agency. He oversees and manages all operations for over 650 employees and volunteers in a county that covers over 5,400 square miles and has an approximate population of 500,000. He has served as a regional representative and the Vice President of the Arizona Tactical Officers Association and is a member of the Executive Board for the Point 27 Foundation. He is a graduate of Leadership in Police Organizations and the FBI National Academy, session 261.
Matt holds additional duties as a law enforcement trainer for basic and advanced officer training in leadership, tactics, narcotics, Mexican cartels, and several other specialty areas. He has instructed for High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA), National Tactical Officers Association, Arizona Narcotics Investigators Association, Washington State Investigators Association, Georgia FBI National Academy State Chapter, National Rifle Association, and multiple agencies throughout the U.S. Matt serves as an expert on the Southwest border issues and the problems associated with the Mexican cartels in Arizona. He has spearheaded large-scale operations targeting the Mexican cartels and smuggling operations at the local, state, and federal levels. Matt is known for his collaborative efforts in working with local, state, and federal partners to fight organized crime in his county, state, and nation. He continues to do his part in fighting these criminal groups.