Feb. 21, 2023 At 99, Johnson County Sheriff’s Office Reserve Deputy Bill Hardin, who died last week, was the longest serving law enforcement officer in the U.S. and possibly the world, says Sheriff Adam King.
By Matt Smith Source Cleburne Times-Review, Texas Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Johnson County Sheriff’s Office Reserve Deputy Bill Hardin passed away Friday morning at the age of 99.
Johnson County Sheriff Adam King said that, as far as he knows, Hardin was the longest serving law enforcement officer in the country and possibly the world.
Hardin began his career with the Fort Worth Police Department in 1947 and later moved on to the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office. Hardin became a reserve officer for JCSO in 1994 and continued serving until his death. Hardin served a total of 75 years in law enforcement.
“We lost a legend off a man this morning who will be greatly missed,” King said. Deputy Bill Hardin was just two weeks from his 100th birthday. Even though he didn’t reach his birthday, he holds a couple of records that will probably never be broken. May he rest in peace in the arms of the Lord.”
Hardin’s experience, King said, greatly benefitted JCSO and Johnson County.
“Right after I took over as sheriff I gave Bill the office right across from mine,” King said. “I wanted him close to me because a man with that much experience knows a lot of things and I needed and wanted to pull from his extensive knowledge and experience and he was just such a huge asset to us in that way.”
King called Hardin a legend and inspiration but more importantly a friend among fellow officers.
“Oh, everyone was always wanting to visit with him and he had lots of from back in the old days, he sure did,” King said. “Things have changed a lot since 1947, but some things are still the same too.”
JCSO Deputy Aaron Pitts said Hardin will always be remembered.
“He once told me that what made him love this job so much was that he always had something to learn,” Pitts said. “During the years I spent working with him, he imparted me with knowledge I couldn’t have gained from anybody else. I was truly an honor to call him my friend.”
Hardin worked courthouse security during his first years for Johnson County.
“He did that and worked our grand juries for a number of years,” Johnson County District Attorney Dale Hanna said. “Everyone here had such high regard for Bill. He was always such a positive influence, always had a great attitude and just very uplifting.
“Bill had quite a career with FWPD and TCSO before he came here and was just universally thought of, liked and respected.”
Shortly after taking office, King said he knew Hardin needed to be out in the public.
“I didn’t want his personality and wealth of knowledge to be wasted so we asked him to come work with our command staff,” King said. “In that role Bill was a great public relations man because he loved everybody and everybody loved him and he was so great at community outreach and working with the public.”
Johnson County Judge Chris Boedeker agreed.
“It’s a tragic loss,” Boedeker said of Hardin’s passing. “Deputy Hardin was such a fixture of our community who loved Johnson County, loved what he did and will be sorely missed.”
Johnson County Commissioner Rick Bailey summed up Hardin’s life as a rich legacy.
“Wow!,” Bailey said. “What a life. To think, he had a profession that outstretched many people’s natural lives and he made everyone that he touched better.
“And almost 100 is amazing when you think, who in a stress-free life lives that long? Let alone someone in a profession as stressful as law enforcement.”
Cleburne Police Chief Rob Severance felt much the same.
“Deputy Hardin’s passing is a sad and huge loss for law enforcement,” Severance said. “It’s amazing to me because he began working as an officer the same year my mom was born. What a legacy, the amazing number of years he served communities in North Texas. I was honored to have met him. Just an interesting and great guy to talk to and hear his take on law enforcement in years gone by.”
Burleson Police Chief Billy Cordell agreed.
“Everyone knows of Deputy Hardin and just, what a legend is the only way to really say it,” Cordell said. “The amount of time he spent serving citizens is simply remarkable. Anyone who can spend that amount of time in law enforcement, well it’s incredible, unheard of is probably the best word.”
Former FWPD officer and detective Charles Goodwin called Hardin a mentor.
“Bill was head detective of narcotics when I started and was very experienced,” Goodwin said. “He trained everybody that was new to narcotics, showed them the ropes on how to handle cases.”
More than that, Goodwin remembers Hardin as a friend.
“He just always had a smile,” Goodwin said. “He greeted everyone with a big Bill Hardin smile. That’s how I remember him.”
That applied to everyone, Goodwin added.
“Mr. Hardin was pretty much a friend to everyone,” Goodwin said. “He was one of those guys that would laugh with you, cry with you or pray with you, whatever you needed. He was very much a Christian man who loved his job, his family. Very patriotic and loved his country.”
Hardin also remained involved in the Texas Narcotics Officer’s Association throughout his life and served more than 20 years in the U.S. Army reserves as a warrant officer, Goodwin said.
Goodwin added that Hardin always excelled at his job.
“When Bill started as a patrol officer that was still during the old gangster days of Jacksboro Highway and he knew those people and worked a lot of cases on them,” Goodwin said. “Also in north Fort Worth and the Stock Exchange, it was pretty rowdy back then and they had some pretty good fights on Exchange Street in those days. I guess you could say we were there before the tourists.
“But Bill was just Bill. He was bigger than life.”
Law enforcement runs in Hardin’s family.
“I had 28 years with FWPD and my other brother [ Daniel “Bud” Hardin] had about the same,” Hardin’s younger brother Darrell Hardin said. “Bud’s son also retired from FWPD, Bill’s daughter worked as a dispatcher and my son retired from the Arlington Police Department where he was a K-9 officer and worked auto theft.”
Darrell Hardin said his older brother inspired both he and Bud.
“Oh gosh yeah, we looked up to Bill,” Darrell Hardin said. “Our getting into law enforcement was basically following him. He’s exactly 12 years older than me. I came out of the Navy in ’59 and the job market was pretty tight at that time. But I wanted to get on with the police department anyway and eventually did where I worked burglary and forgery.
“Bill and Bud were both Army reserves. Bill was the oldest then Betty, Bud, Wanda and me. I’m the youngest and, of course, I’m the only one left now.”
Darrell Hardin praised Bill’s wife, also named Wanda.
“She really was a blessing to my brother, I tell ya,” Darrell Hardin said.
State Rep. Dewayne Burns, R—Cleburne, characterized Hardin as a man known far and wide for his reputation and service.
“Deputy Hardin was the ultimate example of a person who was called to serve and protect his community and never quit hearing and answering that call,” Burns said.
Burns called Hardin’s long tenure of service nothing short of incredible but also expressed sadness over his passing.
“We had a resolution on behalf of the state of Texas that we were going to present to him on his birthday in a couple of weeks and it breaks my heart that we’re not going to be able to do that to him in person now,” Burns said.
Hardin was a frequent visitor at the Chisholm Trail Outdoor Museum in Cleburne.
“Bill was an amazing, inspiring guy rich in the dedication of his life,” said David Murdoch, president of the Johnson County Heritage Foundation, which oversees the CTOM. “When we opened our law enforcement museum out here it was originally going to be dedicated just to the Texas Rangers until we decided to expand it. We were honored to get a bunch of Mr. Hardin’s things throughout his career and we now have an entire wall of that museum dedicated to him. He was out here quite a lot otherwise for events or just to visit. I think he came to all our bluegrass concerts last year.”
The museum meant a lot to his brother, Darrell Hardin said.
“At that museum Bill met people from all over the world who would come to visit,” Darrell Hardin said. “Many of them would write him letters from different countries and all sorts of things.”
Robin Krouse, who serves as a captain for FWPD and as 1st vice president of the Fort Worth Police Officer’s Association, interviewed Hardin on Feb. 6 at the CTOM for the Association’s newsletter.
“Absolutely awestruck,” Krouse said of his impression of Hardin. “I’ve been in law enforcement 37 years and I felt like I had just started yesterday. Just looking at Mr. Hardin I could see the years of public service, experience and wisdom that comes from that. He just radiated it”
Krouse described Hardin’s demeanor as a quiet confidence.
“He never ceased, from my impression, to see the humor in life,” Krouse said. “That’s what he talked about quite a bit when we had our conversation about the things he remembered because of the uniqueness of his situation. Which, after 75 years, there’s a lot of unique stuff. It was such a treat to just sit there and talk to him. I mean, I could’ve stayed there with him all day.”
Hardin’s, King said, was a life well lived.
“I mean what can you say?” King said. “Deputy Hardin worked two full careers with FWPD and TCSO and retired from both then came to work with us for another 28 years.
“Hard to even comprehend. We lost a living legend today and it was so cool to literally have that living legend working in the sheriff’s office with us. Bill was just such a blessing and we’re sure going to miss him.”