Hardin County commissioners on Nov. 12 approved an interlocal agreement with Hardin Jefferson Independent School District that will make School Resource Officers (SROs) employees of the district while their law-enforcement commissions remain with the county.

The agreement, effective Nov. 15, 2025, names the constable’s reserved deputy constables as full-time employees of HJISD and replaces the current memorandum of understanding between Hardin County and the school district. Constable Corey Jifko said the district will employ and pay the deputies while the county will retain their law-enforcement commissions.

“This does not create any employment rights or an agreement between the SRO and the constable,” the document says; Jifko told commissioners, “They’re still full time peace officers ... No discipline ... We’re still SROs,” emphasizing that deputies will perform law-enforcement duties only and not school disciplinary functions.

Several commissioners pressed staff on liability and administrative details. One commissioner said the county could remain liable if it continued to carry the deputies’ commissions even after the school pays salaries and benefits; the court discussed language in Sections 3.3–3.5 of the agreement clarifying employment status and the limits of county liability. The agreement includes a 30-day termination clause for either party and a five-year term the district requested; Judge McDaniel said he would have preferred a one-year term but acknowledged the 30-day termination right.

The court also approved appointments tied to the MOU: Charles Gilly and Shauna Tiffin were appointed as reserved deputy constables for Precinct 4, effective Nov. 15, 2025, and the county revoked prior county appointments for those individuals so they may serve as SROs under the new district employment arrangement.

What the MOU does and does not do was a recurring theme in discussion: commissioners and the constable delineated that deputies employed by the district will enforce law and will not perform school-administrative discipline; payroll, benefits and HR oversight will rest with HJISD. The court voted to approve the interlocal and the two reserved‑deputy appointments.