Joshua Steeley, a Camden, New Jersey native, transformed a life-threatening experience into a powerful mission to serve, protect, and uplift his community. As the founder and president of Aziel Protection LLC, Steeley leads a growing security firm that spans New Jersey and Pennsylvania, offering top-tier services backed by military, law enforcement, and private investigation experience & training. Aziel Protection represents a commitment to community empowerment—particularly for young men and women in Camden—through job creation, mentorship, and second-chance opportunities. With a deep foundation in faith and an entrepreneurial spirit, Steeley has also launched a nonprofit initiative to help young people discover purpose and stability through career development and business ownership.
In an exclusive interview with the nation’s premier faith-based and professional newspaper for winners, Anointed News Journal, Joshua Steeley shares how surviving violence ignited his mission to build safer communities, empower youth, and lead with purpose through faith and entrepreneurship.
Collins:
Who is Josh Steeley?
Steeley:
Joshua Steeley is an African American male born and raised in Camden, New Jersey. I’m 40 years old. I’ve been doing security for a little over a decade. I’m done private investigating in Philadelphia for about eight years. I also had a security company in Philadelphia. I’m a father—a father of six. I’m a God-fearing man. Serving is my passion. I serve others. That’s how you become a leader: by serving first. I’m trying to impact my community more, particularly by helping youth get jobs in the security and law enforcement fields.
Collins:
Josh, you are also the founder and president of your own security firm. Tell us about the name of the security firm and what your mission is.
Steeley:
Aziel Protection LLC. The security firm was founded in 2014. We service New Jersey and Pennsylvania—those are the two states I’m concentrating on. The name is backed by a Hebrew meaning: “God is our underlying strength.” I named it that because I’m a Christian and I believe in a higher power. I got that name from praying, asking God what I should call my company. So it has religious values. We view ourselves as soldiers—to help preserve life and property, and to assist any individuals who are victimized.
Collins:
All right, so Josh, let me ask: what motivated you to start your own security firm?
Steeley:
What motivated me to start my own security firm was an incident in 2012. I was the victim of a potential homicide. I was sitting on my father’s steps at 813 Newton Avenue—that’s where I’m from in Camden, downtown. I was on the phone talking to my children, about to take my father to work. A car pulled up in the middle of the street. Two guys hopped out of the back seat and started approaching me, asking if I was selling drugs. I said, “No, man, I don’t sell drugs. You have to go around the corner.” Then those two guys opened fire on me—about 11 shots. I hit the ground and went into fight-or-flight mode. I didn’t have a firearm on me at the time. It was in the house because I didn’t have a license to carry it outside the house back then. So I fled the other way. Cars were following me, circling the block. So I hid until the police were called.
I remember that feeling—being helpless. Hopeless. By the grace of God, He preserved me for a reason. At that moment, I said, “God, I can either take this down a negative path and go on a hunt, or I can serve—serve those who were in my situation, who felt helpless and hopeless, who didn’t have anyone to back them up, and who were victims.” There are programs—if you’re a victim, you can go to Camden County and get psychological therapy and support. I did that. But the experience encouraged me. I said, “I never want to be caught without a firearm again, and I want to help others who’ve been through what I went through.” Not everyone makes it out—but I had the opportunity to. So I want to give back to my community. And I’m servicing the downtown area where I almost lost my life.
Collins:
So how large is your security firm at this time, and what services do you provide?
Steeley:
The security firm currently operates in Pennsylvania and New Jersey—that’s where my main focus is right now. I do have concealed carry permits that allow me to operate across the United States, but I’m concentrating on the tri-state area. I have about 18 employees, and we’re growing. My goal is to reinvest in my community. I can take contracts in Delaware or Florida, and I get offers regularly, but I often turn them down because I want to stay focused here in Camden, where I was born and raised, and also in Philadelphia.
We have a lot of family in Philadelphia and a strong client base there as well. I actually started out as a fugitive recovery agent, which is a bounty hunter. That was my first license in the state of Pennsylvania. At the time, New Jersey didn’t allow private individuals to do that unless you were a police officer or a retired police officer. So I went out of state, got all my licenses, and then transferred them over to New Jersey. That was my strategy, because I had declined becoming a police officer. It wasn’t financially viable for me at the time, and I couldn’t hire the people I wanted to hire. I’ve always had an entrepreneurial mindset and wanted to build a team.
So I began as a bounty hunter, then became a private investigator in Philadelphia. I worked on a few homicide cases, and also handled many infidelity investigations. That eventually led me to managing a large club—Haason Reddick’ club. We had about 30 employees. I did the club scenes, personal protection for mayors and high-end clients, and I traveled from Florida to California providing bodyguard services.
The travel part was difficult because I was a single father at the time, raising my three kids by myself. I couldn’t travel as much, so I started subcontracting those services to others. I shifted my focus to creating more consistent, passive income through scheduled site security, which allowed me to be more present as a father.
Now, I service various sites including supermarkets, car lots, and Camden County OEO buildings—providing overnight protection to prevent break-ins and safeguard employees. We also cover events, hotels in Atlantic City, and more. I’m still growing, still hiring good people, and staying focused on the mission.
Collins:
Now, Josh, you’re 40 years old. A lot of young people might have taken the safer route and entered into law enforcement as a police officer, correctional officer, or similar. You chose the path of entrepreneurship. When you look at where you are today, what are your thoughts? Are you happy that you chose the entrepreneurship route?
Steeley:
Yes, I’m happy that I chose the entrepreneurship route. I did train with SWAT in Chester, PA, alongside a lot of police officers. That’s where I received my training. My instructor was Tom Dickson, a former Chester police officer who later became a firearms dealer. He owns about 31 acres of land where we conduct our firearms training.
So I do train with law enforcement. I like the path I chose because I’m able to provide jobs and salaries. I’ve always wanted to help the community, especially by giving people the financial means to provide for their families. I also have many connections in law enforcement, and for individuals who want to work in security, build their resume, and later transition into law enforcement, I strongly encourage it.
I’m one of the few who skipped the route of becoming a police officer but still earned the credentials similar to those of a retired officer. Most retired officers start a security company after their service. Somehow, I was able to train with law enforcement and work under private investigators and police officers, which allowed me to become a private investigator myself. That’s how I earned the credentials to own a security company. In New Jersey, you can’t just open one; you need five years of experience as a private investigator or be retired law enforcement. I met the requirement by working under police officers as a private investigator.
Collins:
What words of encouragement would you give to a young man or woman who wants to pursue entrepreneurship or a career in law enforcement?
Steeley:
I’d say go for your goals. Pursue whatever you feel God has called you to do. Think about it, write it down, and weigh the pros and cons—the positives and negatives—and then go for it.
We have a lot of older individuals in the community who want to help younger folks before they get into trouble. I tell them, “Hey, you got your concealed carry yet? No? Then get it. You have your SORA card? No? You should get that too.” You can build your resume in law enforcement before making choices that could disqualify you from getting those credentials. The law has opened up opportunities in that area.
So I encourage everyone to exercise their Second Amendment rights—to protect themselves and others. The world is not getting any safer. We need people who are willing to step up, help keep the world safe, and preserve life and property for those working to build better lives for others.
Collins:
So, Aziel is a full-service security firm. I believe you offer both armed and unarmed services. How can people acquire your services?
Steeley:
Yes, that’s correct. They can email me at info@azielprotection.com. Let me give you the contact numbers too. I have two lines: one for Camden, New Jersey—(856) 383-0383, and one for Philadelphia—(215) 403-6770.
Our Instagram is @azielprotection, and the email is info@azielprotection.com.
Collins:
And what can someone expect when they acquire your services?
Steeley:
You can expect the highest level of security service. We have retired police officers, martial arts instructors, firearm instructors, and retired military personnel. I do my best to hire top-tier individuals.
Our services are affordable, but not cheap—in terms of quality. We provide the highest level of professionalism and skill in the private security field.
Collins:
What’s next for Joshua Steeley?
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Steeley:
I’m currently forming a nonprofit called Camden Rising Entrepreneurs And Mentors, or C.R.E.A.M.; The mission is to give back to the youth—something I’m very passionate about.
I played football for Camden High, and I’ve seen a lot of talented athletes who go to college but don’t make it out. Still, they have heart, drive, and discipline—qualities that can translate well into security and protection work.
So, I’m working with high school students who may not be sure what’s next after graduation, especially with the rising cost of college. Each year, I plan to sponsor around five graduates to go through security clearance training. I’ll give them internships with my firm, then offer them full-time employment. Once they turn 21, I’ll help them get their armed license, starting them at a salary of $40,000 and up.
I also mentor both young men and women, helping them figure out their path—not just in security, but in business in general. I’m a serial entrepreneur, and I help others start LLCs, get formation documents, obtain EINs, build credit, and launch their own businesses.
We have a network of entrepreneurs working with us who guide others into entrepreneurship. Some people bounce from job to job because they were meant to be their own boss. Once they realize that, everything starts to click. They just need help tapping into what they believe God called them to do.
Collins:
The Anointed News Journal has over 180,000 readers weekly. In conclusion, what do you want to say to the readers of The Anointed?
Steeley:
First of all, I’d like to thank you, Mr. Chris Collins, for allowing me to be part of your news journal—and for allowing me to serve you when you attend various government meetings and events. It’s truly a pleasure to serve you.
To anyone in need of our services—we’re available. We also offer referrals. If you know anyone in need of security services, we provide a referral incentive, which could be a cash deposit or a percentage of the contract value, depending on the terms. It’s a finder’s fee—something that helps us grow. And when we grow, our community grows.
I’m also working closely with James Stewart—he’s the person I send male and female applicants to for their security clearance training. I’m hiring directly from my city. I have a deep desire to see Camden residents working with us, not to be biased, but because we serve Camden—and I want Camden residents to benefit economically. When we hire from our own community, we help bring income and opportunity back into the city. It’s all about building Camden up from within.
Conclusion:
Joshua Steeley’s story is one of resilience, faith, and purpose-driven leadership. Through Aziel Protection LLC and his nonprofit efforts, he continues to uplift his community by creating opportunities, mentoring youth, and promoting safety across Camden, Philadelphia, and beyond. His commitment to service and entrepreneurship serves as a powerful example of how one life transformed can lead to the transformation of many.
By Chris Collins
