Notice Board
From the Beat to Business:
Ex Police Officers Create a Trusted Security Brand
» FROM PATROLLING THE STREETS AS a burglary unit officer to directing a thriving security business empire, Chris Hanson’ s journey is anything but ordinary. As the founder and managing director of SheffLOCK Ltd, Chris and his father Kevin transformed their policing experience into one of South Yorkshire’ s most trusted security brands, built around providing a reliable service and accredited security products.
From Crime Scenes to Locksmithing
I work alongside my dad, who’ s also expolice and we’ re supported by a brilliant team of 34 staff. I manage the day-to-day running of the businesses around school runs and family life. It’ s a juggling act, but one I wouldn’ t change. For me, this whole journey has been about applying the discipline, vision, and values I developed in the police force to build something reliable, customer-focused, and genuinely useful. What started as a post-policing plan has grown into something I’ m incredibly proud of.
When people ask me how I got into locksmithing, I usually smile and say,“ It’ s not what I planned, but it feels like exactly where I’ m meant to be.” Like many life paths, mine started in uniform, following my father’ s footsteps, serving in the burglary unit. My dad served in the police force for 32 years and, together, we investigated crime, helped victims, and saw firsthand the emotional and financial cost of poor security. So, when he retired and said,“ What about locksmithing?” it wasn’ t just a career move, it was a mission!
We took a leap of faith, attended a five-day course at MPL in Wakefield, and stepped into a world we knew little about. At first, we were completely naïve. But we knew how to solve problems and communicate with people, skills sharpened on the force. That was enough to get us going. In 2016, we launched SheffLOCK, and to our surprise, the phone started ringing from day one. We haven’ t looked back since!
Building Something Bigger
Today, SheffLOCK is three businesses under one umbrella, each built around trusted, accredited security services.
1. SheffLOCK Locksmiths- Our core business, offering domestic and commercial locksmith services alongside glazing and repairs for uPVC and aluminium doors and windows.
2. SheffLOCK Security Solutions- A dedicated arm for CCTV, alarms, and security lighting, intercoms, access control, offering a full professional supply and fit service.
3. SheffLOCK Auto Locksmiths- Our rapidly growing auto locksmith division.
We now employ 34 people, including engineers, admin staff, marketing professionals, and customer service teams. Twenty of those are on the road every day, securing homes, fitting alarms, and repairing or replacing everything from doors to digital locks. My father oversees the trade counter and workshop operations. I manage the business remotely working from home, coffee shops, or even hotel rooms if I’ m away. I’ m a business owner, but I’ m also a dad to a 17-year-old, a three-year-old, and a seven-month-old, so my schedule must work around nursery drop-offs, school runs, and bedtime stories.
Our Motto: If you’ re looking for peace of mind from people who’ ve seen the worst and are committed to providing the best- trust SheffLOCK!
A Day in the Life
My day starts at 3am. Not because I’ m a morning person- but because I want to clear my inbox and make key decisions before the house wakes up and the company starts a new day. From 3am to 7am, I’ m all about paperwork, strategy, and checking social media campaigns. From 7am to 9am, I’ m Dad- making breakfast and navigating school traffic. Between 9:30 and 5:30pm, I’ m back to business: troubleshooting, planning, overseeing marketing and managing staff. Evenings are about family time, eating dinner together, and getting the kids to bed. At 8:30pm, I do one final round of calls and messages before calling it a night around 10pm. It’ s intense, but I wouldn’ t have it any other way.
Lessons from the Force, Applied to Business
Being a police officer meant making tough decisions within strict guidelines. In business, those decisions are yours, and yours alone. That transition was challenging at first. But my time on the burglary unit taught me the true meaning of security, the gaps criminals exploit, and what homeowners really need to feel safe. That experience is what really sets us apart.
14
JUNE 2025
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