Phoenix Security Consultants

David DeMato

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In his current role, David received a Direct Commission and serves as an Intelligence Officer with the US Navy. This honor is highly competitive and even more selective, requiring an extensive background check, multiple Board interviews, Congressional confirmation, and appointment by the President. As an Officer in the US Navy David works with a team of intelligence professionals to deliver products which Command-level decision makers utilize to ensure the safety and security of US Citizens and assets both home and abroad.

 

David retired from the Chicago Police Department with over two decades of progressively responsible experience during which he earned multiple promotions and over 100 awards. The majority of his career was spent working in the violence-plagued South and West sides of Chicago. David's last assignment was Executive Officer of the Alternate Response Section where he led a staff of 13 who oversaw the daily operations of over 200 personnel. This Unit fields nearly a half-million calls for service annually while serving as the backup center for Chicago's 911 operations. David was previously the Executive Officer of the Violence Reduction Initiative, directing a staff of 15 to manage the daily deployment of over 150 officers throughout the City. He supervised covert teams in the Bureau of Organized Crime and was a Detective for six years, investigating violent robberies on the South Side of Chicago. David also served as the Secret Service liaison where he was assigned to the protection detail of current and former Presidents any time they visited Chicago. 

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David was deployed to Samarra, Iraq pre-surge (2005-2006) on a Department of State team of operators. During this time, he mentored Iraqi Police on acceptable democratic societal norms while concurrently running intelligence operations for Coalition counterparts to include Army ODA and HET, DIA, and OGA assets operating in the region. David and his team were responsible for the cultivation, exploitation, and maintenance of numerous sources with the goal of obtaining actionable intelligence on anti-Coalition personnel in their AO. His team successfully planned and executed numerous missions which eliminated several High Value Targets throughout the greater Samarra and Tikrit regions, saving countless American and Iraqi lives in the process. 

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Prior to entry into government employment, David rose to Director of Security with Hilton Hotels / Embassy Suites flagship downtown Chicago property, as well as their Lombard, IL property. David devised and implemented a new in-house security program for both properties, which was then replicated in their LAX, South San Francisco, Portland, and Minneapolis / St. Paul properties under his direction. 

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David earned his undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice at Loyola University Chicago, a Masters in Criminal Justice from Lewis University, and a Masters in Management from DePaul University. He graduated With Distinction and accepted invitations to join both Beta Gamma Sigma and Golden Key Honors Societies. David has a continual drive for knowledge and has taken dozens of training classes - earning Instructor Level certifications in several areas from both the State of IL and federally through the Department of Homeland Security. He has devised and delivered multiple training courses and firmly believes there is absolutely no replacement for proper preparation.