In 1976 he graduated from Tashkent State University's Faculty of Law, which allowed him to work in district police departments around the country.
From 1990 to 1991, he was Head of the Internal Affairs Directorate of the Tashkent Regional Executive Committee.
On 16 September 1991, as a Colonel Almatov, was appointed as the first Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan, succeeding his Soviet counterpart Vyacheslav Kamalov.
In December 2016, he came out of retirement and came back into the political sphere, becoming the Chairman of the State Anti-Corruption Commission of Uzbekistan.
On 27 February 2018 Almatov was appointed as special adviser to the Interior Minister of Uzbekistan.