Connétables in

Jersey Jersey ( , ; nrf, Jèrri, label=Jèrriais ), officially the Bailiwick of Jersey (french: Bailliage de Jersey, links=no; Jèrriais: ), is an island country and self-governing Crown Dependencies, Crown Dependency near the coast of north-west F ...

and

Guernsey Guernsey (; Guernésiais: ''Guernési''; french: Guernesey) is an island in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy that is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a British Crown Dependency. It is the second largest of the Channel Islands ...

are the elected heads of the

parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one or m ...

es. They are often called 'constables' in English. The constables are entitled each to carry a silver-tipped baton of office.

Jersey

In Jersey, each

elects a constable for a three-year mandate (four years until 2008) to run the parish and also represent the parish in the legislature, the

States Assembly The States Assembly (french: Assemblée des États; Jèrriais: ) is the parliament of Jersey, formed of the island's 37 deputies and the Connétable of each of the twelve parishes. The origins of the legislature of Jersey lie in the system o ...

. There are 12 Connétables one for each of the ancient Parishes. They are members of the States Assembly along with this political role they hold power of a police officer as part of

Honorary Police There is an Honorary Police ( French: Police Honorifique) force in each of the twelve parishes of Jersey. Members of the Honorary Police are elected by the voters of the parish in which they serve, and are unpaid. Honorary Police officers have ...

system of Jersey. At parish-level, the constable presides over the

Roads Committee In Jersey, the Roads Committee (French: ''Comité des Chemins'') is the highway authority for Parish roads in each Parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish i ...

, the Conseil Paroissial (except St. Helier) and parish assemblies. The twelve constables also collectively sit as the Comité des Connétables. The constable is the titular head of the Honorary Police. With the Roads Inspectors, Roads Committee and other officers, the constable of each parish also carries out the '' visites du branchage'' twice a year.

Guernsey

In Guernsey, each

elects two constables, the senior constable and the junior constable. Persons elected generally serve a year as junior and then senior constable. The senior constable presides over the Douzaine that runs the parish. The constables are responsible for enforcing the decisions of the parish including the ''branchage'' (summer hedge-cutting).

Sark

In Sark, the connétable (or constable) is the senior of two police officers and police administrator and the

vingtenier There is an Honorary Police ( French: Police Honorifique) force in each of the twelve parishes of Jersey. Members of the Honorary Police are elected by the voters of the parish in which they serve, and are unpaid. Honorary Police officers have ...

is the junior police officer.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Connetable Parishes of Jersey Law enforcement in the Channel Islands

Parochial politics of Jersey Jersey law Constables of Jersey Guernsey law

Jersey

Guernsey

Sark

See also

References