Nick Stake

Owner and Lead Instructor

Nick Stake brings over 20 years of law enforcement and tactical training experience to Ascent Dynamics Consulting, which he founded in October 2023 to provide firearms training, tactical tracking operations, covert entry instruction, and expert witness services.

Nick worked for over twenty years in two mid-sized Sheriff’s Offices, where he served in progressively specialized roles including Detective Sergeant, D.R.T./Tactical Tracking Team Leader, Covert Entry Specialist, and Department Firearms Armorer/Gunsmith. Over his career, he served as Rangemaster, Active Assailant/Shooter Instructor, Force-on-Force Scenario Instructor, and Sniper Instructor. He later served as a Bailiff for District Courts within Nevada, retiring from law enforcement in 2025.

Nick has been qualified as an expert witness in Nevada courts on multiple occasions, testifying on the construction and identification of hazardous devices, firearms and suppressor function and examination, and evidence processing in major criminal cases. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy (Session 283) and holds Nevada P.O.S.T. certification through the Supervisor level, along with dozens of specialized instructor and armorer certifications spanning firearms, explosives investigations, tactical operations, and forensic evidence handling.

Nick also holds an Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice and an Associate of Arts (both cum laude), a BA in Psychology (summa cum laude) with a concentration in Forensic Psychology, and is a current member of multiple law enforcement-related professional associations.

Please use our Contact Us page for more information on case consultation, the fee schedule, and to request my full CV for your review.