Smith County commissioners and the Lindale Independent School District are working to establish a contract to provide commissioned police officers to protect the district’s students and faculty after a dispute with the constable formerly holding the contract refused to sign another agreement. 

Smith County Judge Joel Baker said Friday he and commissioners had held independent conversations with LISD administrators in hopes of solving the problem that developed when Precinct 5 Constable Kenneth Bibby decided not to renew a contract to provide three officers for security with the district earlier this month. 

The Lindale community, including district Superintendent Stan Surratt, have been very supportive of the three officers who have served the school system for the past several years. 

Bibby had said the reasons were financial and problematic officers, but LISD paid for all costs associated with the contract and the district stated there had been no personnel problems with the officers. 

Baker said he hopes to have a solution by the end of next week. 

“I’m hoping to have Jay Brooks, the Smith County Fire Marshal, step in and handle the officers’ commissions. I think some of the commissioners were a little apprehensive at first, but we are going to look at it again and I think we might all agree on this temporary solution,” he said. 

Baker said the matter would be revisited during Tuesday’s regular scheduled Commissioners Court meeting at the Smith County Courthouse Annex. 

“We will discuss it in executive session and I hope we can come back out with a decision that we can give to Lindale before their school board meeting on Thursday,” he said.

After Bibby decided not to renew the contract, he took some equipment from the officers such as their badges, radios, Tasers, cameras and other equipment. 

Bibby told the three officers that on Sept. 30, when the current contract expires, they were to turn in their uniforms and cars.

Baker said Brooks took the officers some handheld radios so they could communicate with each other on the different campuses. 

“We certainly want a solution to this problem and to help them through the school year, but I believe they will move toward developing their own police department within the school district,” Baker said. “I have gotten phone calls and emails from the Lindale community and all of them have been in support of the officers.”