The Kentucky Center for School Safety named Hardin County Schools one of only three 2023 Promising Programs in the commonwealth for their school resource officer (SRO) program.
Hardin County Schools (HCS) began building their program with School Resource Officers (SRO) officially in 2016, even though the district has had a collaborative working relationship with local law enforcement agencies since the early 2000s. The Hardin County Sheriff’s Department and the Elizabethtown Police Department both work with the Hardin County District through Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) to provide SROS throughout the District, within each respective jurisdiction. HCS currently has 19 school campuses established. Presently, the District has 13 full-time SROS through the Sheriff’s Department and the Elizabethtown Police Department. Both agencies are working to fill additional spots (and secure the necessary SRO training) in order to have each school/campus covered by the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year.
The SRO group has worked with the Hardin County Educational TV program and continues to work on assignments collectively for filming and distribution in the schools and on local, community cable channels. Schools within the District have an established relationship with their assigned SRO and involve them in activities for the community, parents, staff and students. They assist in connecting families to resources in the community and often provide a transport to facilities off grounds if needed due to lack of transportation means. Each agency providing SRO support shows dedication to the community they serve, the students within their building and the families within each district.
