About
our team
Mission Critical Concepts is built on a cadre of proven professionals who have operated in high-risk environments and continue to train those who do the same. Our instructors are drawn from a range of law enforcement and specialized units across the region—leaders within their agencies with extensive backgrounds in SWAT, high-risk operations, investigations, and use-of-force.
We don’t hire instructors based on credentials alone—we select professionals with real-world experience and the ability to translate it into performance-driven training. The result is instruction that is relevant, current, and built for the realities of today’s operational environment.
MCC delivers courses throughout Minnesota and the upper Midwest, focused on firearms, tactics, and use-of-force—from foundational skills to advanced, scenario-based training. Whether it’s patrol-level fundamentals or specialized response, our programs are designed to build capability, confidence, and accountability under pressure.
We also provide fully customized training solutions tailored to your agency’s mission, staffing, and operational needs. Hosting agencies benefit from flexible scheduling and complimentary training slots.
Interested in hosting a course?
We can create custom courses to meet your needs
Jake May
Jake May, President, is a retired senior law enforcement executive with over 30 years of experience in tactical operations, investigations, and leadership at the local, state, and federal levels. A former Special Agent in Charge (SAIC) with the Minnesota BCA, he led major violent crime response efforts and founded the BCA Violent Crime Response Unit.
With over 25 years on SWAT and special response teams, May has participated in 5,000+ high-risk operations as an entry team member, tracker, and team leader. His background includes federal task force work as a DEA Task Force Officer, leading complex investigations and undercover operations.
A firearms, tactics, and use-of-force instructor for nearly three decades, May has trained over 4,000 law enforcement professionals. His instruction is built for those who operate in high-risk environments—focused on performance, accountability, and results when it matters most.
BRAD HAZELETT
Brad is a Commander with the St. Paul Police Department where he has worked for the past 20 years. Brad has been assigned to patrol, street level narcotics, gang and gun interdiction, patrol supervisor and investigations. Brad served on the SPPD SWAT team for eleven years; five as an officer and six as a Sergeant / Team Leader and sniper supervisor. He is an NRA qualified instructor in the Precision Long Range Rifle. He travels across the upper Midwest teaching Police, Fire, and EMS how to collectively and collaboratively respond to a hostile / mass casualty event. Brad has executed over 600 high-risk narcotics and weapons search warrants. He continuously attends tactical and strategic courses to improve his ability to teach others how to successfully operate and prevail in kinetic, dangerous environments.
Brad has also served for 14 years as an infantryman in the Marine Corps and Army National Guard. As an active duty Marine, Brad was a fire team leader in Desert Storm where he coordinated and led combat patrols forward of friendly lines. Brad attended the Army National Guard Scout Sniper School in Arkansas and returned to the school as an instructor. Brad has been a lead instructor for Mission Critical Concepts for the past 17 years. He teaches all aspects of firearms: pistol, carbine, shotgun, sub gun, and precision rifle. Brad is a certified Rappel Master and a Less Lethal / Chemical Munitions instructor. He also instructs courses in Tactical Operations in Rural Terrain, Basic and Advanced Scout Sniper, Basic and Advanced SWAT, Shotgun Instructor, Shoothouse Instructor, and Precision Carbine Operator. Brad is currently earning his Master’s Degree in Homeland Security and Counter-Terrorism.
MATT BECKMAN
Matt has a Criminal Justice Degree and has been a Sheriff’s Deputy since 1996 having served in the capacity of Patrol Deputy and Field Training Officer (FTO). Currently, Matt is a Sergeant and SWAT Team Leader and he oversees his agency’s training/SWAT Unit. Matt has been with MCC since 2000 providing training for law enforcement, security, military, and private citizens in the areas of Firearms and/or Use of Force for both patrol and tactical operations levels as well as specialized breaching and Night Vision Operator courses.
NIC ALBERT
Nic has been a police officer for 3 years in Minnesota. He currently serves the City of Elk River as a Patrol Officer, Field Training Officer, Firearms Instructor, and SWAT Team Operator. Prior to his Law Enforcement career, Nic, served as a Security Team Leader for various overseas contracts for the Department of State from 2009-2013.
Nic also served in the United Stated Army from 2002-2009, as a Scout with the 101st Airborne, and 2nd Armored Calvary Regiment. During his Military career Nic was deployed 3 times in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, were he served as a Team Leader, Section Sergeant, and Platoon Sergeant. He was also assigned as his unit’s CQB Instructor, Combative’s Instructor, and Heavy Weapons instructor. During his time with the 101st he also assisted in the development and instruction of the Divisions Small Kill Team Course (Counter-IED Teams) while deployed near Tikrit.
JARROD KUNZE
Jarrod has been a police officer for 12 years in Minnesota. He is currently a Sergeant and served on the SWAT team for five years as a breacher and sniper. He is a certified NRA handgun instructor, patrol rifle, MP5, Barrett .50 (M82A1), belt-fed weapons instructor. He is also instructor certified in ASP baton, Use of Force, Sniper Operations, (ASR) Aerosol Subject Restraints and Force on Force. Jarrod is a certified Rappel Master and has been instructing with Mission Critical Concepts since 2006. Jarrod previously served in the U.S. Army Infantry from 1990 to 2006. During that time, he was deployed 5 times including two tours in Iraq where he was a squad leader with the 3rd U.S. Army Division and was involved in heavy fighting during the initial invasion of Iraq, fighting from the border all the way into Baghdad. On his second tour, he actively hunted the enemy as part of a two-man sniper team, conducting 49 sniper missions in the city of Samarra before being medevac’d and medically discharged. Based on his experience in defeating insurgents, he created Mission Critical Concept’s Asymmetric Active Shooter Course to prepare domestic law enforcement to defeat uncontained / unconventional active shooter situations here in the U.S.
