When the risk is real, the response should be too.
Licensed, armed officers for environments where a visible deterrent isn't optional. Every armed assignment starts with a written risk assessment and a plan built for your specific site, not a guard in a chair with a sidearm.
Armed security is the service most firms sell carelessly and most clients buy nervously. ASP treats it as what it is: a serious tool that demands serious training, clear legal footing, and an operator who can tell you exactly when, and when not, an officer is authorized to act.
Four environments built for armed coverage.
Armed security isn't the right answer for every site. These are the environments where the risk profile, the asset value, or the regulatory requirement makes an armed officer the correct call, not an upsell.
Cannabis & Dispensaries
Maryland cannabis operations carry large cash volumes and high-value inventory under strict state security mandates. An armed officer who knows the compliance requirements is both a deterrent and a regulatory asset.
- —State compliance-aware posture
- —Cash & inventory protection
- —Opening / closing coverage
Banks & Cash-Heavy Retail
Banks, jewelry stores, check-cashing, and high-value retail need armed presence that reassures customers without intimidating them. The officer is the difference between a target and a hard target.
- —Lobby & entrance posts
- —Cash transport coordination
- —Customer-safe presence
Construction Sites
Active sites bleed copper, tools, and equipment after hours. Where theft has escalated to confrontation, or insurance requires armed coverage, ASP deploys officers who can hold a perimeter overnight.
- —Overnight armed patrol
- —Equipment yard protection
- —Insurance-compliant posts
Executive Protection
For executives, public-facing professionals, and high-net-worth individuals who need armed protection that travels well and stays invisible until the moment it can't. Background matters here more than anywhere.
- —Close protection details
- —Residential & travel security
- —Ex-law-enforcement / military officers
Licensed, permitted, and insured for what we do.
Armed security carries legal weight that unarmed work doesn't. Here's exactly what stands behind an ASP armed officer before they ever set foot on your property. If a security company can't answer these questions plainly, that's your answer.
Maryland Armed Guard Licensing
Every armed officer holds a current state-issued armed security certification. ASP tracks expirations internally and pulls any officer whose credentials lapse, no exceptions, no grace periods on post.
Firearm Permits & Handling
Officers carry under valid permits with documented qualification. Weapon handling, retention, and post-incident protocol are part of the required curriculum, retrained on a quarterly cycle.
Firearms Liability Insurance
ASP carries dedicated firearms liability coverage in addition to general and professional liability. Certificates of insurance are provided to clients as part of contracting, before deployment.
Use of Force & Reporting
Officers operate under a documented use-of-force continuum and Maryland self-defense law. Any use-of-force event is reported, reviewed internally, and escalated to authorities where required.
The standard behind every armed post.
Every ASP officer, armed or not, runs through the same internal training and equipment standard before deployment. We break the full curriculum, equipment list, and supervision model down on the main Services page.
See the full ASP standard →