Joshua R. Sullivan
Joshua R. Sullivan
Managing Partner - Discreet Security Services and Investigations, LLC
Chief - DSSI Special Police Division
Master Instructor - A.L.I.V.E. Active Shooter Survival Training Company
About Joshua
Joshua R. Sullivan is a public safety professional, sworn law enforcement officer, executive protection specialist, and instructor with more than two decades of experience in security operations, investigations, emergency response, and protective services. He is the Managing Partner of Discreet Security Services and Investigations (DSSI) and serves as the Chief of the DSSI Special Police Agency, a Maryland-commissioned law enforcement agency providing executive protection, investigations, security services, and professional training.
Joshua began his career in public safety at the age of sixteen with the Prince George’s County Fire Department and entered law enforcement at eighteen while serving with the Maryland Department of Corrections. Early in his career he also worked on a regional warrant task force operating throughout Maryland and surrounding jurisdictions, gaining extensive experience in fugitive apprehension, investigations, and high-risk operations.
Over the past twenty-three years Joshua has built a diverse operational background spanning executive protection, private investigations, K9 operations, emergency medical response, technical surveillance countermeasures (TSCM), and security leadership. His protection experience includes service on dignitary and personal protection details for diplomats, heads of state, high-ranking foreign nationals, cabinet-level politicians, and other high-profile clients. Throughout his career he has worked in coordination with agencies such as the United States Secret Service and the U.S. Department of State during presidential and diplomatic movements in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Joshua has also served as a team leader on major protective assignments, managing large security teams and complex protective operations.
In addition to executive protection work, Joshua is an experienced licensed private investigator and security consultant, specializing in risk assessments, threat mitigation, protective planning, and complex investigations for corporate and private clients.
Joshua is also a certified Technical Security Countermeasures (TSCM) investigator and has conducted electronic surveillance detection sweeps and counter-surveillance operations for government agencies, Fortune 250 corporations, and ultra-high-net-worth individuals using advanced detection equipment and investigative techniques.
Joshua has extensive experience in explosive detection, narcotics detection, and patrol K9 operations, having served as both a K9 handler and trainer. He also served as the Federal K9 Program Manager for the Alabama Canine Law Enforcement Officers Training Center, supporting international K9 detection programs and training initiatives for governments, law enforcement agencies, and private organizations around the world.
Joshua has also spent much of his career serving in the fire and emergency services community. He most recently served as a Lieutenant Firefighter and EMT/Medic, responding to emergencies throughout Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. He is a Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (TECC) instructor and frequently serves as a team medic during protective operations and high-risk security assignments.
Joshua is also actively involved in professional medical training and preparedness. Through DSSI, he oversees an American Heart Association (AHA) Training Site, delivering nationally recognized medical training programs including AHA Basic Life Support (BLS), Heartsaver CPR/AED, First Aid, and other emergency medical courses for organizations, security professionals, and the public.
Joshua has dedicated a significant portion of his career to educating others in crisis preparedness and threat response. He previously served as Chief Operating Officer and Master Instructor for the A.L.I.V.E. Active Shooter Survival Training Program, where he taught active shooter survival and crisis response strategies to corporations, schools, houses of worship, and organizations throughout the United States and internationally.
Joshua also contributes to the advancement of the executive protection profession. He serves on the Technical Committee of the Board of Executive Protection Professionals (BEPP), helping develop industry standards, curriculum guidance, and professional frameworks for executive protection practitioners.
Joshua’s professional certifications and roles have included:
- Chief, DSSI Special Police Agency (Maryland Commissioned Law Enforcement)
- Executive Protection Agent and Security Driver
- Licensed Private Investigator and Diplomatic Protection Specialist
- Certified Technical Security Countermeasures (TSCM) Investigator
- Explosive, Narcotic, and Patrol K9 Handler and Trainer
- Emergency Medical Technician and Tactical Medic
- Lieutenant Firefighter and EMS Officer
- Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (TECC) Instructor
- American Heart Association Training Site Director / Instructor
- Licensed U.S. Coast Guard Master Captain
Joshua regularly teaches and speaks on topics including:
- Active shooter survival and crisis preparedness
- executive protection and dignitary protection operations
- leadership under pressure and crisis leadership
- threat assessment and protective intelligence
- emergency response and tactical medicine
- organizational security and risk management
Through his leadership, training programs, and speaking engagements, Joshua’s mission is to help individuals, organizations, and communities become more prepared, more capable, and more resilient in the face of modern threats.
