Direct Approach Tactical Solutions, LLC. (DATS) is a company comprised of current Law Enforcement Officers and prior military service members that specialize in critical incident tactics and mitigation.
Steve Rosta
Steve Rosta is a 27 year veteran of a state law enforcement agency. He retired in 2016 as the Tactical Commander/Homeland Security Liaison for his agencies SWAT team. He has been involved with his agencies tactical team since 1991. Steve has held the positions of: Sniper, Operator, and Team Leader and was assigned as the Tactical Commander in 2000. In 2006, Steve was selected as the National Tactical Officers Association recipient of the prestigious John Kohlman National Excellence Award for his work in the tactical field both nationally and internationally. He is a 1999 alumni and graduate of the University of Louisville’s Southern Police Institute. Prior to joining the law enforcement ranks, Steve served 10 years with U.S. Army Special Forces Green Berets 10th and 11th Groups, serving on operational detachments in numerous countries around the world. He is a decorated veteran who was selected as the 1984 Soldier of the Year for the US Army Special Forces, and has been awarded numerous times during his law enforcement career, for his work in the tactical field.
Steve Rosta was instrumental in developing the stadium security perimeter package for major universities, after his attendance at the United States Secret Services Venue Security/Movement Planning Course in Washington DC, and continues to provide his expertise in both the private and public sector as a consultant. He has planned many large-scale venue security details and conducted location assessments, for numerous entities in Ohio. Steve presented the multi-agency security package to the South Eastern Conference athletic directors in 2007, the University of Maryland Athletics Department in 2014 and the Alabama State Patrol at the University of Auburn also in 2014.
The tactical team, under Steve Rosta’s command, was been responsible for training over 10,000+ law enforcement personnel in Basic SWAT, Basic Sniper, Weapons of Mass Destruction Deployment, and Response to the Active Shooter. He currently travels across the country speaking to school faculty, administrators and companies, in both the private and public sector, on preparing for, during and after an active shooter incident.
Currently, Steve is under contract to the Ohio Department of Public Safety as the Homeland Security Intelligence Liaison for the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police. Since 2010, Steve has also served as a nationally accredited lead instructor, for the leadership based company, Mission Centered Solutions, located in Franktown CO. He has presented well over 100 week long courses in the United State, Canada, Australia and New Zealand on leadership training for First Responders and community leaders.
Email Steve: srosta@directapproachtactical.com
Brandon Cruz
Brandon Cruz is a seventeen-year Law Enforcement veteran. He has served on his agencies’ SWAT Team since 2001. Brandon currently serves as Team Leader and Sniper Team Leader. He has held the positions of: Operator, Sniper, Assistant Team Leader and Sniper Team Leader. Brandon is a Certified Firearms, Patrol Rifle and Police Instructor through the Ohio Peace Officers Training Academy. Brandon has earned several awards throughout his career, to include the Superintendant’s Citation for Proficiency in Auto Larceny in 1998, Excellence in Auto Larceny in 2001, and a certificate of recognition for Criminal Patrol in 2003.
Brandon has been involved in countless high-risk tactical situations with his agency. He has been deployed multiple times during civil unrest, protected Federal, State and local dignitaries. He has been trusted to instruct private sector employees, law enforcement officers at the Federal, State, local level and current military personnel.
Email Brandon: bcruz@directapproachtactical.com