Following his report of these activities, Hardin experienced a hostile work environment, as detailed in a letter he wrote, which is included in his personnel file. His employment with the Fayetteville Police Department ended with his dismissal on May 22, 1991.

"I would not bend the law just to keep my job," he wrote, "so, in the end, I lost my job."

After leaving the Fayetteville Police Department, Hardin joined the Huntsville Police Department in November 1991. However, his stint there was short-lived; he resigned in June 1992. In an application for employment with the city of Eureka Springs, Hardin stated that his resignation was due to an expectation to treat certain individuals unfairly.

Following his departure from the Huntsville Police Department, Hardin undertook various jobs, including working on a cleanup crew at a manufacturing plant and as a bellhop at the Basin Park Hotel in Eureka Springs. He left these positions citing personal disagreements with the management, as mentioned in his employment application.

Hardin joined the Eureka Springs Police Department and eventually became a full-time patrol officer there in May 1994. His tenure at this department was marked by several incidents. In March 1993, he was reprimanded for missing a compulsory meeting and a court appearance he was subpoenaed for. In September of the same year, he was temporarily removed from patrol duties for driving a patrol car in the wrong direction on a one-way street. April 1995 saw him in trouble again for missing a mandatory meeting. Additionally, in September, he received a reprimand for excessively using pepper spray during a traffic stop.

In October 1996, an accusation was leveled against Hardin for misrepresenting information in a report. According to a letter in his personnel file, he was presented with the option to resign instead of facing termination. Following his departure, Hardin applied for unemployment benefits, but his request was denied.