Chicago’s Finest Protection: Anthony Varchetto and Jeff Salvetti of Blue Star Security Featured on WGN-TV

February 3, 2025

A recent WGN-TV segment featured an interview with Anthony Varchetto, President, and Jeff Salvetti, Vice President, of Blue Star Security, which they co-founded. They discussed how Blue Star provides premier security and investigative services across Chicago and North America through Protos Security’s Specialized Services Division.

Founded in Chicago, Blue Star has grown significantly and, in 2022, became part of Protos Security. Blue Star is composed of highly trained law enforcement professionals who bring their expertise to various security challenges. Blue Star tailors its services to meet the unique needs of its clients, ensuring high standards of safety and professionalism. The feature emphasized the company’s commitment to excellence in security solutions across different sectors.

Blue Star is expanding its specialized services nationwide, targeting high-demand markets through acquisitions and new initiatives. The company prides itself on not only providing top-tier security solutions but also offering career opportunities for law enforcement professionals transitioning into the private sector.

 

Chicago’s Finest Protection: Blue Star Security Featured on WGN TV

Continue reading for a summary of the interview.

Sarah Jindra: Security solutions customized to meet your needs and executed to the highest possible standards, Blue Star Security offers a full range of security and investigative services from a team of highly qualified law enforcement officers. Tell us a little bit about Blue Star Security.

Anthony Varchetto: Blue Star Security is a licensed, private investigator firm and licensed private security firm in Illinois. We employ approximately 1,000 W-2 active and retired law enforcement professionals. And we provide a wide variety of security investigative services.

Sarah Jindra: And you guys know what you’re doing because you were Chicago police officers. Tell us how this all started.

Jeff Salvetti: It started in the 25th district at Grand Central. We were asked to start up a security job that was right in the neighborhood of a new building that opened, and we thought, no problem. When we walked in and were asked if we had a company, they were a little surprised when we told them that we didn’t. So they gave us the contract and asked us that in six months we start up a company. So that’s how Blue Star started.

Ji Suk Yi: And you’ve come a long way because recently Blue Star had a big acquisition, right?

Anthony Varchetto: That’s correct. In the fall of 2022, Blue Star was acquired by Proto Security, which is a national security provider of four service lines: security guarding, remote video guarding, off-duty law enforcement and specialized services. And one of the largest security companies in North America.

Sarah Jindra: Wow. So what kind of services are you guys providing?

Jeff Salvetti: We do everything from your day-to-day retail security all the way to executive protection, which has obviously become a hot topic right now. We do high value transport, places of worship, schools, pretty much anything you could think of that would require active or retired law enforcement expertise.

Sarah Jindra: When you’re saying executive protection, we’re talking about executive employees, right? The people leading companies, unfortunately, that are worried about their safety?

Anthony Varchetto: Exactly. There’s unfortunately been some incidents, as of late, that have spiked this topic to be a hot topic. So we do provide executive protection for C-suite level professionals, professional athletes, movie talent, TV talent and more.

Ji Suk Yi: Wow. I mean, you’re the go to company for all the security needs because you cover it all, but you have a really cool, go forward plan, right, that you’re going to continue to grow the division?

Anthony Varchetto: That’s correct. In the upcoming months and upcoming years, Protos has a vision that Jeff and I really buy into, and that’s expanding our specialized services. This is is the vision Jeff and I lead, and we’re attacking hot markets right now, markets that truly need the services we provide. And we’re going to expand through both acquisition and start up.

Sarah Jindra: What do you find most rewarding about this line of work?

Jeff Salvetti: Two things. One is coming from our law enforcement background, we know that this is a need. When we started in 2009, this wasn’t something that people were very comfortable with. Hiring an off-duty police officer wasn’t a normal thing. And as it’s grown, it’s become what people look for now because people don’t feel as safe as they used to. We’ve also created a secondary place for people when they retire. We have a second home. We have so many people that have been with us since 2009, 2010, with us today. Just like our first client from 2009 is still with us. To be able to go out there and do what we’ve done in Chicago in other big markets across the city, and give these officers a place that they’d never thought they had something after the police department, and that’s what we’ve become for them.

Ji Suk Yi: If someone’s watching right now and they’re thinking about hiring extra security, but they’re not sure if they should, what do you recommend they do?

Anthony Varchetto: Well, I believe that we provide an absolute fantastic product, experienced officers out there that have real life experience that they can apply in the private sector. And one thing about our company is that we really work with our clients. We’re partners. We sit down with you. We talk about your needs, and together we customize a security plan that works best for you and and offers the most cost-effective solution as well.

Sarah Jindra: Well, we thank you for your service and thank you so much for being here.

For more information, visit bluestarsecurityllc.com.