SALISBURY – In the wake of events like last month’s Orlando shooting, concerns about personal safety are on the rise.
That’s where USTASC comes in. The Salisbury business is focused on individual safety and security.
“Ultimately people’s safety is their own responsibility,” said USTASC’s Evan Avnet said. “Police can’t be everywhere all the time.”
USTASC — or Tactical American Security Consulting — handles everything from firearms training to security consulting. Avnet started the business five years ago. After working for several years as a member of law enforcement — with the Salisbury Police Department and the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office, among other agencies — Avnet started teaching firearms training during his free time.
As he saw interest in personal protection increase, he left law enforcement to create USTASC. The Salisbury company offers firearms training, classes in defense tactics, security services, personal protection and consulting. The company even has a K-9 Services department to handle explosive detection.
In the past two years, the size of USTASC has tripled. It now has 70 employees.
“There’s a greater demand for security,” Avnet said.
“We plan for the worst so our clients can do their best. Police are a responsive agency. We’re more proactive,” said Evan Avnet of the USTASC.
He said much of the company’s time was spent in consulting, typically with outdoor venues (like concert facilities) interested in ensuring attendees’ safety during events. Avnet’s team provides advice on the best evacuation routes, where to place security staff, how to respond in case of an incident and how to protect the facility itself.
“We plan for the worst so our clients can do their best,” Avnet said. “Police are a responsive agency. We’re more proactive.”
Avnet said that crime was a constant in today’s society and that his company was there to help individuals who wanted to prepare for that. He said that as police forces were facing increased workloads even as their budgets were getting cut, private companies like his were playing a larger role in society.
“More private agencies are at the forefront of providing enhanced protection as a preventative measure,” he said.
For more information on USTASC or the services it offers, visit www.ustasc.com.
