Constables in the United States
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In the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
, there is no consistent use of the office of
constable A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in criminal law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions. A constable is commonly the rank of an officer within the police. Other peop ...
throughout the states; use may vary within a state. A constable may be an official responsible for service of process: such as summonses and
subpoena A subpoena (; also subpœna, supenna or subpena) or witness summons is a writ issued by a government agency, most often a court, to compel testimony by a witness or production of evidence under a penalty for failure. There are two common types of ...
s for people to appear in court in criminal and/or civil matters. They can also be fully empowered
law enforcement Law enforcement is the activity of some members of government who act in an organized manner to enforce the law by discovering, deterring, rehabilitating, or punishing people who violate the rules and norms governing that society. The term en ...
officers. Constables may have additional specialized duties unique to the office. In some states the constable is an elected or appointed position at the state or local level of local government. Their jurisdiction can vary from statewide to county/parish and local township boundaries based on the state's laws. The office developed from its British counterpart during the colonial period. Prior to the modernization of law enforcement in the middle 19th century, local law enforcement was performed by constables and
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. Constables were appointed or elected at the local level for specific terms and, like their UK counterparts the
Parish Constable A parish constable, also known as a petty constable, was a law enforcement officer, usually unpaid and part-time, serving a parish. The position evolved from the ancient '' chief pledge'' of a ''tithing'', and takes its name from the office of ''con ...
, were not paid and did not wear a uniform. They were often paid a fee by the courts for each
writ In common law, a writ (Anglo-Saxon ''gewrit'', Latin ''breve'') is a formal written order issued by a body with administrative or judicial jurisdiction; in modern usage, this body is generally a court. Warrants, prerogative writs, subpoenas, a ...
served and warrant executed. Following the example of the British
Metropolitan Police The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), formerly and still commonly known as the Metropolitan Police (and informally as the Met Police, the Met, Scotland Yard, or the Yard), is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement and ...
established in 1829, the states gradually enacted laws to permit municipalities to establish police departments. This differed from the UK in that the old system was not uniformly abolished in every state. Often the enacting legislation of the state conferred a police officer with the powers of a constable, the most important of these powers being the
common law In law, common law (also known as judicial precedent, judge-made law, or case law) is the body of law created by judges and similar quasi-judicial tribunals by virtue of being stated in written opinions."The common law is not a brooding omnipresen ...
power of arrest. Police and constables exist concurrently in many jurisdictions. Perhaps because of this, the title "constable" is not used for police of any rank. The lowest rank in a police organization would be officer, deputy, patrolman, trooper, and historically,
private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...
, depending on the particular organization. In many states, constables do not conduct patrols or preventive policing activities. In such states the office is relatively obscure to its citizens. A constable may in some jurisdictions be assisted by deputy constables as sworn officers or constable's officers as civil staff, usually as process servers. In some states, villages or towns, an office with similar duties is
marshal Marshal is a term used in several official titles in various branches of society. As marshals became trusted members of the courts of Medieval Europe, the title grew in reputation. During the last few centuries, it has been used for elevated o ...
.


Alabama

In
Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...
, a constable is traditionally elected from each election precinct. Counties may abolish the office of constable by county ordinance. Many have done so: as of 2015, only 24 of Alabama's 67 counties still had constables. Alabama constables are
peace officer A law enforcement officer (LEO), or peace officer in North American English, is a public-sector employee whose duties primarily involve the enforcement of laws. The phrase can include campaign disclosure specialists, local police officers, pro ...
s and have full powers of
arrest An arrest is the act of apprehending and taking a person into custody (legal protection or control), usually because the person has been suspected of or observed committing a crime. After being taken into custody, the person can be questi ...
, stop and search within their county, except in certain counties which have had their constables' powers limited by act of the State Legislature ( Etowah and
Jefferson Jefferson may refer to: Names * Jefferson (surname) * Jefferson (given name) People * Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), third president of the United States * Jefferson (footballer, born 1970), full name Jefferson Tomaz de Souza, Brazilian foo ...
Counties). They are generally responsible for serving warrants and acting as
process server Service of process is the procedure by which a party to a lawsuit gives an appropriate notice of initial legal action to another party (such as a defendant), court, or administrative body in an effort to exercise jurisdiction over that person ...
s, as well as patrolling the streets and providing security for civic events. They are not funded from general tax revenues; instead, constables' fees are paid by the criminals they arrest.


Alaska

In
Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...
, a constable is an appointed official with limited police powers. The
military police Military police (MP) are law enforcement agencies connected with, or part of, the military of a state. In wartime operations, the military police may support the main fighting force with force protection, convoy security, screening, rear rec ...
arm of the Alaska State Defense Force, a voluntary state defense force, is designated as the constabulary force of the state. This agency is empowered to act in a police capacity when called into service by the governor. Some official missions the constables have officially performed include port security after
9-11 The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercia ...
, disaster relief, and
Alaska Pipeline The Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) is an oil transportation system spanning Alaska, including the trans-Alaska crude-oil pipeline, 11 pump stations, several hundred miles of feeder pipelines, and the Valdez Marine Terminal. TAPS is one of ...
patrols. They were put on initial alert to deploy to
Bethel Bethel ( he, בֵּית אֵל, translit=Bēṯ 'Ēl, "House of El" or "House of God",Bleeker and Widegren, 1988, p. 257. also transliterated ''Beth El'', ''Beth-El'', ''Beit El''; el, Βαιθήλ; la, Bethel) was an ancient Israelite sanct ...
in 2007 when 9 of the 11 officers of the city's police department resigned in protest over a pay and benefits dispute with city officials. They were not ultimately needed for that mission and were never deployed. Unlike many so-called militias, many of which are voluntary and non-state affiliated, the Alaska State Defense Force is state-recognized under the state's authority to have a state-exclusive militia or guard, in addition to the
National Guard National Guard is the name used by a wide variety of current and historical uniformed organizations in different countries. The original National Guard was formed during the French Revolution around a cadre of defectors from the French Guards. Nat ...
of the
Army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
and
Air Force An air force – in the broadest sense – is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an a ...
. Alaska also has a naval militia composed of reserve
US Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
and
Navy A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral zone, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and ...
personnel, who serve as needed, but not in conflict with their federal military reserve duties. The Alaska constables receive police training from the Alaska Department of Public Safety. They act in an official police capacity only when called into service by the State of Alaska, which has a broad statute governing citizen's arrests, which is why Alaska has unarmed village public safety officers (VPSOs) all of whom are fully academy-trained, employed by local tribal non-profit corporations and are deputized by the commissioner of public safety to make misdemeanor non-traffic arrests and charge for violations. Other similar officers are tribal police officers (TPOs) of local tribal communities and village police officers (VPOs) all of whom receive limited training. This is due to the scarce availability of law enforcement personnel in remote areas of the vast state.


Arizona

In
Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
, a constable is an elected
peace officer A law enforcement officer (LEO), or peace officer in North American English, is a public-sector employee whose duties primarily involve the enforcement of laws. The phrase can include campaign disclosure specialists, local police officers, pro ...
of the county for the justice precinct and must live in the precinct to which they are elected. The constable serves a four-year term and has similar powers, duties and authority to
sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland that is commonly transla ...
s. Sheriffs and constables are the only two elected peace officers in the State of Arizona. The authority of constables is defined by Arizona Revised Statutes Title 1, Section 215; Title 13, Section 105; Title 22, Section 131; as well as Title 13, Section 3804. Constables have similar powers, duties and authority as sheriffs, but their primary responsibility is to execute court orders for the
Justice of the Peace A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...
or other competent authorities. Constables serve restraining orders, summons and
subpoena A subpoena (; also subpœna, supenna or subpena) or witness summons is a writ issued by a government agency, most often a court, to compel testimony by a witness or production of evidence under a penalty for failure. There are two common types of ...
s, court orders, service of process,
writ In common law, a writ (Anglo-Saxon ''gewrit'', Latin ''breve'') is a formal written order issued by a body with administrative or judicial jurisdiction; in modern usage, this body is generally a court. Warrants, prerogative writs, subpoenas, a ...
s and
arrest warrant An arrest warrant is a warrant issued by a judge or magistrate on behalf of the state, which authorizes the arrest and detention of an individual, or the search and seizure of an individual's property. Canada Arrest warrants are issued by a j ...
s, and act as court
bailiffs A bailiff (from Middle English baillif, Old French ''baillis'', ''bail'' "custody") is a manager, overseer or custodian – a legal officer to whom some degree of authority or jurisdiction is given. Bailiffs are of various kinds and their o ...
. Constables are
peace officers A law enforcement officer (LEO), or peace officer in North American English, is a public-sector employee whose duties primarily involve the enforcement of laws. The phrase can include campaign disclosure specialists, local police officers, prose ...
, but in Arizona do not perform general police functions such as patrols or criminal investigations. However, by virtue of their peace officer status, a constable may be required to take enforcement action to preserve life and property in immediate situations. Constables and their deputies may serve process, writ or papers in their county and any precinct in another county contiguous to their own precinct All deputy constables are required to be certified officers by state law, and some constables chose to become certified peace officers. Constables are required to attend AZPOST approved basic training, and their expenses are paid by the
county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
board of supervisors A board of supervisors is a governmental body that oversees the operation of county government in the U.S. states of Arizona, California, Iowa, Mississippi, Virginia, and Wisconsin, as well as 16 counties in New York. There are equivalent agenc ...
and various grants. Constables receive a salary from their respective counties based on the number of registered voters who reside in their precinct. Most Arizona counties have from two to five constables.
Maricopa Maricopa can refer to: Places * Maricopa, Arizona, United States, a city ** Maricopa Freeway, a piece of I-10 in Metropolitan Phoenix ** Maricopa station, an Amtrak station in Maricopa, Arizona * Maricopa County, Arizona, United States * Marico ...
county has 26 constables,
Pima Pima or PIMA may refer to: People * Pima people, the Akimel O'odham, Indigenous peoples in Arizona (U.S.) and Sonora (Mexico) Places * Pima, Arizona, a town in Graham County * Pima County, Arizona * Pima Canyon, in the Santa Catalina Mountains ...
county has 10 constables, and Pinal county has 6.


Arkansas

In
Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the Osage ...
, constable is an elected office at the
township A township is a kind of human settlement or administrative subdivision, with its meaning varying in different countries. Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, that tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, Ca ...
level, although constables are considered
county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
officers. The office of constable, which is a partisan office, is guaranteed by the 1874
Constitution of Arkansas The Constitution of Arkansas is the primary organizing law for the U.S. state of Arkansas delineating the duties, powers, structures, and functions of the state government. Arkansas' original constitution was adopted at a constitutional conv ...
, which provides for the election of a constable in each township for a two-year term. Constables are
peace officer A law enforcement officer (LEO), or peace officer in North American English, is a public-sector employee whose duties primarily involve the enforcement of laws. The phrase can include campaign disclosure specialists, local police officers, pro ...
s with full police powers.


California

Historically, constables in
California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
were attached to the
justice courts In the New York State Unified Court System, a justice court is a local court that handles traffic tickets, criminal matters, small claims, and local code violations such as zoning. Constitutionally, justice courts are part of the state legal syst ...
, the lowest tier of the state court system (whereas
sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland that is commonly transla ...
s served the county superior courts). Depending on the county, constables were either elected by popular vote or appointed by the county supervisors to a
township A township is a kind of human settlement or administrative subdivision, with its meaning varying in different countries. Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, that tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, Ca ...
(later a
judicial district A judicial district or legal district denotes the territorial area for which a legal court (usually a district court) has jurisdiction. By region Europe Austria In texts concerning Austria, "judicial district" (german: Gerichtsbezirk) refers ...
). Constables had full police powers by state law and carried out occasional to frequent patrol work in addition to service of process and serving
arrest warrant An arrest warrant is a warrant issued by a judge or magistrate on behalf of the state, which authorizes the arrest and detention of an individual, or the search and seizure of an individual's property. Canada Arrest warrants are issued by a j ...
s. Legislation in 1923 allowed the creation of
municipal courts State court may refer to: Courts of constituent states of English-speaking federated states * State court (United States) * Judiciary of Australia#State and territory courts Courts of English-speaking unitary states * State Courts of Singapore N ...
in cities with over 40,000 people, with
marshal Marshal is a term used in several official titles in various branches of society. As marshals became trusted members of the courts of Medieval Europe, the title grew in reputation. During the last few centuries, it has been used for elevated o ...
s to enforce their orders and provide security. As populations grew, and municipal courts pushed out justice courts, constables were slowly replaced by marshals. Municipal marshals were consolidated into single county offices in 1970. By the late-1980s few, if any, constables remained. The state courts were unified in 2000, with the superior court fulfilling all judicial functions, and the office of constable was formally eliminated.


Connecticut

There are two types of constables in
Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...
. Special constables are appointed by
towns A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an ori ...
. In general, they are appointed to serve as police officers and expected to have or complete the requirements of the Police Officer Standards and Training Council in order to do so. Special constables normally work under the supervision of a resident state trooper contracted by the town (a requirement of the
Connecticut State Police The Connecticut State Police (CSP) is a division of the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection responsible for traffic regulation and law enforcement across the state of Connecticut, especially in areas not served by ...
if the town wishes their constables to be dispatched by the state police or have access to the radio and computer system of the state police). The system of resident state trooper and constables is used by many medium-sized towns as a cost-effective way of providing increased police patrols while the state police retain primary responsibility to provide additional levels of supervision, dispatch, detective, and other specialized services. Constables who are elected officials are generally limited to serving civil process within the town they are elected by. Elections are held every two years, except communities which by local ordinance or charter have set the term of office at four years. While a small number of towns will also allow the constables to perform
road traffic control : ''For the road traffic science, see various articles under Road traffic management.'' Road traffic control involves directing vehicular and pedestrian traffic around a construction zone, accident or other road disruption, thus ensuring the safet ...
and event security functions, most strictly prohibit their constables from acting in any official capacity on behalf of the town. The authority to act as a
law enforcement officer A law enforcement officer (LEO), or peace officer in North American English, is a Public sector, public-sector employee whose duties primarily involve the Law enforcement, enforcement of laws. The phrase can include campaign disclosure specialist ...
by nature of their office was removed in 1984, at which time they became subject to the Police Officer Standards and Training Council requirements. In 1984 these requirements were for 480 hours of training, which could be completed in 120-hour-long "blocks" which were offered as part-time evening classes. With completion of each block came expansion of the types of law enforcement the officer could perform. While it was never common after 1984 to have elected constables with law enforcement powers, there were a few who did complete certification. As of 2007, POST requirements of 680 hours of training provided on a full-time basis for new officers, followed by 400 hours of training provided by a certified field training officer make completing the requirements to be a law enforcement officer impractical for elected constables. Historically, constables had been the key office for providing law enforcement in rural Connecticut. Connecticut never developed a strong institution of county sheriffs providing general police services. From colonial times through the 1940s, town constables would work with two other town officials—the investigating grand juror and prosecuting grand juror—in the initial handling of criminal investigations, arrests, and the "binding over" of serious crimes from the town's justice court to a higher court. A series of reforms in regulations, statutes, and the state constitution in the 1950s and 1960s removed the involvement of towns in these matters. In towns without a local
police chief The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and ...
, investigations became the exclusive responsibility of the Connecticut State Police, while state prosecutors took over the prosecution of cases, and the court system was flattened by the elimination of courts with criminal venue below the level of the superior court.


Delaware

Transplanted from England to
Delaware Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent Del ...
in the early colonial period, the constable's main responsibilities were keeping the peace, serving the courts, and executing court orders and process. Under the Duke of York's government the constable was elected from one of four overseers of the town or parish. He had the responsibility to pursue and apprehend offenders and bring them before the justice of the peace, whip, or punish offenders by order of the court, take bail for a person arrested, help to settle estates, and keep proper accounts of fines collected. Legislation relating to constables does not appear in the Delaware Laws until 1770. This act required constables at the end of their terms to return the names of three freeholders to the Court of General Sessions, who then appointed one to serve the next year. At least one constable was appointed for each hundred, and appointees had to be residents of the hundred in which they served. After 1832 the levy court of each county appointed the constables, although the governor could also fill appointments if levy court was in recess. The constable had a number of duties, many of which continue today. He executed all orders, warrants, and other process directed by any court, judge, or justice of the peace; ensured that the peace of the state be kept; arrested all persons committing riot, murder, theft, or breach of the peace, and carried them before a justice of the peace; attended elections to ensure that the peace be kept; and enforced the laws of the state.Constable
Delaware Constable
Justice of the peace court constables are appointed by the chief magistrate. The constables' duties include execution of court orders, writs and warrants, serving summonses and subpoenas, collecting debts and fines, and providing courtroom security. Any non-profit corporation, civic association, or governmental entity which has buildings and grounds open to the public may request for the appointment of Delaware State constables to serve as law enforcement officers in order to protect life and property. The board of examiners shall appoint and commission such numbers of sworn constables as it deems necessary to preserve the peace and good order of the state. To be approved by the board of examiners, a Delaware State constable must meet the minimum standards established by the Council on Police Training. The constable shall exercise the same powers as police officers while in the performance of the lawful duties of their employment. Code enforcement constables are appointed by any county or municipal chief executive with limited authority to enforce only those ordinances pertaining to building, housing, sanitation, or public health codes. The Delaware SPCA may appoint animal control constables to enforce dog control ordinances and animal cruelty law.


Georgia

In
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...
, constables are court officers whose powers and duties are: To attend regularly all sessions of magistrate court; to pay promptly over money collected by them to the magistrate court; to execute and return all warrants, summonses, executions, and other processes directed to them by the magistrate court; and to perform such other duties as are required of them by law or as necessarily appertain to their offices.


Idaho

The office of constable was first established in
Idaho Idaho ( ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Montana and Wyom ...
in 1887; constables originally attended the
justice of the peace A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...
courts and were officers of a precinct. ttorney General Opinion No. 87-3 State of Idaho Office of the Attorney General Although the Idaho statutes still provide for the appointment of election constables to keep order during elections (Title 34, Chapter 11) and define constables as
peace officer A law enforcement officer (LEO), or peace officer in North American English, is a public-sector employee whose duties primarily involve the enforcement of laws. The phrase can include campaign disclosure specialists, local police officers, pro ...
s, the position was effectively eliminated in 1970, when the
Idaho Legislature The Idaho Legislature consists of the upper Idaho Senate and the lower Idaho House of Representatives. Idaho is divided into 35 legislative districts, which each elect one senator and two representatives. There are no term limits for either ...
's Election Reform Act removed all provisions for the appointment of constables. As such, there are no longer any constables serving in Idaho.


Kentucky

In
Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...
, constables are elected from each
magistrate The term magistrate is used in a variety of systems of governments and laws to refer to a civilian officer who administers the law. In ancient Rome, a '' magistratus'' was one of the highest ranking government officers, and possessed both judici ...
district in the state. There are between three and eight magistrate districts in each
county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
. Under Section 101 of the
Kentucky Constitution The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Kentucky is the document that governs the Kentucky, Commonwealth of Kentucky. It was first adopted in 1792 and has since been rewritten three times and amended many more. The later versions were adopted in 179 ...
, constables are considered peace officers and have the same countywide jurisdiction as the county
sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland that is commonly transla ...
.Duties of Elected County Officials
, Kentucky Legislative Research Commission, November 2002
Prior to the 1970s, the main function of the constables was to provide court service and security to the
justice of the peace A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...
courts. However, since these have been eliminated by judicial reform, the office of constable now has few real functions. Constables still have the power to execute warrants,
subpoena A subpoena (; also subpœna, supenna or subpena) or witness summons is a writ issued by a government agency, most often a court, to compel testimony by a witness or production of evidence under a penalty for failure. There are two common types of ...
s, summonses and other court documents, and are required to execute any court process given to them. Constables are also permitted to carry firearms in the performance of their duties. In addition, constables who take office prior to January 1, 2023 also have full law enforcement powers, including power of arrest. On the approval of the
fiscal court There are 120 counties in the U.S. Commonwealth of Kentucky. Despite ranking 37th in size by area, Kentucky has 120 counties, fourth among states (including Virginia's independent cities). The original motivation for having so many counties wa ...
(the
legislature A legislature is an assembly with the authority to make law Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its p ...
of the county) they may equip their vehicles with oscillating blue lights and
sirens Siren or sirens may refer to: Common meanings * Siren (alarm), a loud acoustic alarm used to alert people to emergencies * Siren (mythology), an enchanting but dangerous monster in Greek mythology Places * Siren (town), Wisconsin * Siren, Wisco ...
. Most constables in Kentucky are not paid a
salary A salary is a form of periodic payment from an employer to an employee, which may be specified in an employment contract. It is contrasted with piece wages, where each job, hour or other unit is paid separately, rather than on a periodic basis. F ...
, but are paid fees for services rendered. However, state law provides for payment of an annual salary of $9,600 to constables in counties with a population of over 250,000; as of the
2000 U.S. Census The United States census of 2000, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2 percent over the 248,709,873 people enumerated during the 1990 cen ...
, this only applies in
Louisville Metro The government of Louisville, Kentucky, headquartered at Louisville City Hall in Downtown Louisville, is organized under Chapter 67C of the Kentucky Revised Statutes as a First-Class city in the state of Kentucky. Created after the merger of the ...
/ Jefferson County and the
Lexington-Fayette Urban County government Lexington is a city in Kentucky, United States that is the county seat of Fayette County. By population, it is the second-largest city in Kentucky and 57th-largest city in the United States. By land area, it is the country's 28th-largest ...
. The payment has become a point of controversy, since constables in Kentucky have few actual duties. The state has authorized a salary of up to $9,600 a year, but the
Louisville Metro Council The Louisville Metro Council is the city council of Louisville, Kentucky (Louisville Metro). It was formally established in January 2003 upon the merger of the former City of Louisville with Jefferson County and replaced the city's Board of Al ...
cut it to $100 a month, plus expenses. Anyone standing for election as a constable must be at least 24 years of age, a resident of Kentucky for at least two years, and a resident of the county and district for at least a year prior to election. Since constables are constitutional peace officers they are exempt from attending the Department of Criminal Justice Training Academy in
Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...
or state approved basic law enforcement training equivalent. Any constable, however, that takes office after January 1, 2023 must complete this training in order to make arrests or otherwise carry out full police powers. The legal authority of any such constable who chooses not to complete state approved law enforcement basic training will be limited to serving court documents. The Kentucky Constables Association is affiliated with the National Constables Association.


Louisiana

In
Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...
, constables are traditionally elected in each voting ward, which is a subdivision of a
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 ...
. Constables are
peace officer A law enforcement officer (LEO), or peace officer in North American English, is a public-sector employee whose duties primarily involve the enforcement of laws. The phrase can include campaign disclosure specialists, local police officers, pro ...
s and have full powers of
arrest An arrest is the act of apprehending and taking a person into custody (legal protection or control), usually because the person has been suspected of or observed committing a crime. After being taken into custody, the person can be questi ...
, stop and search within their ward. Some voting wards that are in large towns have a marshal instead of a constable, and these marshals serve the same role as a constable, although marshals are generally more pro-active in law enforcement matters. Not all large towns have the position of marshal though, as the City of Baton Rouge has a city constable. Constables in Louisiana are generally responsible for keeping the peace in the ward. They are paid a small monthly salary for their service.


Maine

Constables in Maine are appointed by municipalities and are special police officers and also defined as law enforcement officers in Maine legislation. Constables are appointed to 1-year terms by local municipalities. Constables, depending on the terms of their appointment, may have full or limited peace officer powers, and may or may not have the authority to carry a firearm open or concealed. Besides any general law enforcement authority they may posses, constables serve papers, process, writs and warrants for the district court.


Massachusetts

The jurisdiction of constables in
Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...
is in most cases limited to the cities and towns in which they are appointed or elected, with limited exceptions. Constables usually serve civil process, they may however, serve both civil and criminal process and also enforce capias arrest warrants. M.G.L. c. 41 s. 98 provides the chief and other police officers of all cities and towns shall have all the powers and duties of constables except serving and executing civil process, allowing them to exercise common law arrest powers, state police are given the same powers throughout the commonwealth under M.G.L. c. 25 s. 97. Although the service of civil process makes up a major portion of their duties Massachusetts constables have broad law enforcement authority. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court stated in ''Hartley v. Granville'', "the general duties of a Constable are to be vigilant to preserve the peace, to prevent the commission of crime and to arrest all offenders who might be arrested without a warrant and to procure warrants in other instances of crimes committed." Hartley also states, constables "are not expected to devote a considerable portion of their time to the work of their office or to quit his ordinary occupation to act as a detective and search for offenders. In this regard they stand on a basis quite different from the members of an organized police force." The Municipal Police Institute, now the Mass. Criminal Justice Training Council, issued a report in May 1977, on the powers of constables noting that modern police not only evolved from constables but they derive their common law powers arrest from constables, also stating "Constables still possess extensive law enforcement powers to this day". A constable requires an extensive knowledge of civil law, and the criminal law aspects that may arise from civil law violations. In this regard courts prefer constable to handle these matters rather than police officers as they can execute both civil and criminal process. A constable is, however, a public peace officer and requires a
bond Bond or bonds may refer to: Common meanings * Bond (finance), a type of debt security * Bail bond, a commercial third-party guarantor of surety bonds in the United States * Chemical bond, the attraction of atoms, ions or molecules to form chemica ...
as condition for faithful performance of their duties, and M.G.L. c. 23 s. 1 and 8 provides for their bond to be put in suit for failure to perform their duties by persons so aggrieved.


Michigan

Upon gaining statehood, constables continued to be appointed at the county level as had been done when
Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...
was a territory. The constitution of 1850, however, required that each township elect at least one but not more than four constables. The constitution of 1908 continued the requirement. With few exceptions cities also elected constables by ward. In addition to serving the justice courts of their county, "constables have always been peace officers ... in the territory of their constituents," and, being constitutional officers, the legislature was without authority to limit the constables powers as they existed at common law. Allor v. Wayne County Auditor. 43 Mich. 76 (1880). However their role was vastly altered upon adoption of the constitution of 1963 when their office was deleted as was the office of
justice of the peace A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...
. They were not named as officers of the new district court. And by the end of the 1970s their election was no longer statutorily mandated. A Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES) certification became required if they were to perform general peace officer duties. As of 2007 there were very few elected city constables and less than 10% of Michigan's 1242 townships continue to elect constables.


Mississippi

In
Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...
, constables are law enforcement officers elected from single-member districts in each county. Mississippi law provides us with fewer than 35,001 people, to a maximum of five districts in counties with more than 150,000 people. By law, constables keep and preserve the peace within the county; advise justice court judges or other officers of all riots, routs, unlawful assemblies, and violations of the penal laws; execute and return all processes directed to them by any county, chancery or circuit court (not just the justice courts); and attend the justices' courts of their districts. All counties are required to provide their constables with at least two complete uniforms, some type of motor vehicle identification which clearly indicates that the motor vehicle is being used by a constable in his official capacity, and a blue flashing light for use on official duty. Other than standard fees for attending court, serving processes, etc., state law does not otherwise require counties to pay or otherwise compensate constables for their jobs. Mississippi code Title 19 Chapter 19 defines the roles, powers, and duties of constables.


Nevada


Basic authority

Constables in
Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. N ...
are elected peace officers who have statewide powers pursuant to NRS 289.150, but 2015 legislation placed significant restrictions on those powers. Their peace officer power now is restricted to carrying out their official duties, preventing harm to a person or apprehending someone who has committed a crime against a person and with permission from a sheriff or chief of police. Constables must be Nevada POST certified category one or category two within 1 year of being sworn in, in order to keep their peace officer status and remain in office if they are urban constables, defined as those constables elected from townships with a population of more 100,000 in an urban county, or more than 250,000 in a rural county. In some rural Nevada constabularies, constables maintain POST status and others do not. All deputy constables must be POST certified in urban townships; in rural townships, they do not have to be certified, but if they are not, they may not carry weapons or exercise peace officer powers.


Hansen case

There was some confusion over whether Nevada state law mandated that constables shall be peace officers regardless of what other provisions of state law require, the opposite; i.e., that state law requires that constables be certified peace officers to remain in office, or some nebulous legal point in between. Some of the confusion resulted from a 2002 elections case before the Nevada 8th Judicial District in Clark County, ''Hansen v Bell et al.''. In ''Hansen'' the 8th District ordered a candidate's name to be removed from the ballot in the election for Constable of the Township of Henderson because the candidate would not be twenty-one years old before taking office. An administrative regulation governing peace officer certification set the minimum age requirement at twenty-one on peace officers. The primary statute the district court relied on was NRS 258.070 which states that constables ''shall'' mphasis addedbe peace officers in their township. On appeal, the Nevada Supreme Court reversed the 8th District. Furthermore, the Nevada Supreme Court ruled that absent a statutory revision by the legislature, elected constables (but not their deputies) were exempt from the provisions of NRS 289.550, the primary statute establishing peace officer standards. Case law pursuant to new legislation in 2015, most of the case is now moot.


Responsibilities

The primary duties of constables are to act as a civil enforcement agency. This includes the service in minor civil cases in the justice courts of subpoenas, evictions, summons, vehicle and property liens, business seizures, and wage garnishments, and also enforcing vehicle registration laws and towing abandoned vehicles on public property. With the change in law in 2015, in those townships with constables, most of those constables are also conducting certain civil enforcement for the district courts as well as, in some cases, the enforcement of civil bench warrants. While most constables limit their duties to the above, the Incline Village Township Constable's Office is an exception and actively engages in a variety of law enforcement services, under an agreement with the Washoe County Sheriff's Office. The East Fork Township Constable's Office provides certain court security services, under an agreement with the Douglas County Sheriff's Office.


Additional information

Constables in Nevada serve a four-year term. In Nevada the office of constable is the only partisan elected office below the county level. The office is not funded by taxpayers, but by fees collected for various forms of service. Constables are variously paid only token salaries and earn most of their compensation through fees or are paid a higher fixed salary but earn no fees. As of 2015 constables for the townships of Incline Village, East Fork, Humboldt, North Las Vegas, and Henderson are on fixed salaries. The office in Las Vegas Township has been taken over by the county sheriff. Not all townships have constables and the office is in abatement in most counties.


New Jersey

As per New Jersey, Statue 2A:154-2, constables are peace officers who can lawfully effect an arrest without a warrant. At this time, though constables are not certified by the Police Training Commission there is pending legislation in the General Assembly that will mandate all constables to be properly trained and certified.


New York

Constables serve at the pleasure of the local towns and villages, usually in a civil aspect for the courts. However, constables are considered law enforcement officers under
New York State New York, officially the State of New York, is a state in the Northeastern United States. It is often called New York State to distinguish it from its largest city, New York City. With a total area of , New York is the 27th-largest U.S. stat ...
law. Their powers can be limited by each jurisdiction. Constables are considered peace officers, have arrest powers within their jurisdiction while on duty, and must complete peace officer training as approved by the NY Division of Criminal Justice Services. There are restrictions on whether appointed constables can have peace officer powers based on whether the municipality is a town or village and the number of residents. If a constable is not appointed as a constable with peace officer powers, they can only serve civil processes.


North Carolina

Constables were abolished in
North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
in the mid-1960s. They were peace officers who served under the justice of the peace (JP) of each voting precinct. They were not salaried but received a fee of several dollars for each court order served from the presiding JP of their precinct. Constables were elected to four-year terms alongside that of the JP of their precinct and while they had full peace officer powers, their daily duties focused on serving orders of the JP and providing bailiff service to the JP court. In this revamping of the NC legal system, district court judges were required to be licensed attorneys at the same time that the office of constable, along with JP, mayor's court and city jail systems were phased out with the new NC court system changes of the mid-1960s. JP's were replaced by magistrates and the duties of constable were absorbed by sheriffs. Some cities continue to maintain temporary lockups, but city jails were abolished as a rule. Also in this set of changes, coroners who were elected judicial death investigators were generally replaced by medical examiners who were required to be a medical doctor, osteopathic physician, dentist, lawyer or veterinarian in the new system, though coroner still exists on the books in many NC counties.


Ohio

The appointment of constables is authorized by the
Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
Revised Code, which defines several roles for them. Constables serve as police officers of some small towns and
township A township is a kind of human settlement or administrative subdivision, with its meaning varying in different countries. Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, that tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, Ca ...
s, or as officers of some minor courts. A "special constable" may also be appointed by a municipal court judge for a renewable one-year term upon application by any three "freeholders" (landowners) of the county, who are then responsible for paying the special constable. Duly sworn Ohio constables are considered
peace officers A law enforcement officer (LEO), or peace officer in North American English, is a public-sector employee whose duties primarily involve the enforcement of laws. The phrase can include campaign disclosure specialists, local police officers, prose ...
under Ohio law, as are sheriffs, municipal police officers, state park rangers,
Highway Patrol A highway patrol, or state patrol is either a police unit created primarily for the purpose of overseeing and enforcing traffic safety compliance on roads and highways, or a detail within an existing local or regional police agency that is prima ...
troopers, etc., and have full law-enforcement authority within their
jurisdiction Jurisdiction (from Latin 'law' + 'declaration') is the legal term for the legal authority granted to a legal entity to enact justice. In federations like the United States, areas of jurisdiction apply to local, state, and federal levels. Jur ...
s (The Ohio Administrative Code defines a township constable's jurisdiction as statewide). With some exceptions, constables must post bonds and undergo police training. They are required to serve court papers when so ordered, and to apprehend and bring to justice any lawbreakers or
fugitive A fugitive (or runaway) is a person who is fleeing from custody, whether it be from jail, a government arrest, government or non-government questioning, vigilante violence, or outraged private individuals. A fugitive from justice, also known ...
s, suppress riots or unlawful assemblies, enforce state law and generally keep the peace. Under the Ohio Revised Code, counties may have sworn police "special constables" at their county fair grounds. Cuyahoga County Fair Grounds in Berea Ohio has established a police department under this section and the "special constables" are sworn in by the Berea Municipal Court Judge.


Pennsylvania

Constables in
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
are elected peace officers. In fact, Pennsylvania State Constables were the first form of law enforcement for the State of Pennsylvania. Constables in Pennsylvania are elected and serve six-year terms. They are peace officers by virtue of the office they hold. Upon completion of Act 49 certification and training, they may also serve as the law-enforcement arm of the court. Constables primarily serve the district courts but may also assist in serving the common pleas court, when requested by the sheriff. As public officials, constables are required to file an annual statement of financial interests with the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission. Each constable may, with approval of the president judge in the county the constable is elected in, appoint deputies to work under their authority. Each deputy is given the same authority as the constable, but serves upon assignment of the elected constable. The duty of the constable is to uphold the law fairly and firmly; to pursue and bring to justice those who break the law; to keep the peace; to protect, help, and reassure the community; and to be seen to do all this with integrity, common sense, and sound judgment. Under Pennsylvania law, constables are public officers, elected or appointed to their position in accordance with the laws of the elections. A constable is a sworn law enforcement/peace officer that can arrest for felony crimes and breaches of the peace committed in their presence, or by warrant anywhere in the Commonwealth. A constable is also an officer empowered to carry out the business of the statewide district court system, by serving warrants of arrest, mental health warrants, transporting prisoners, service of summons, complaints and subpoenas, and enforcing protection from abuse orders as well as orders of eviction and judgement levies. Constables are also responsible for maintaining order at the election polls and ensuring that no qualified elector is obstructed from voting, Constables are the only law enforcement officials permitted at the polls on election day. While constables primarily serve the courts, they belong to the executive branch of government. Constables are elected at the municipal level, however state law governs constables and they have statewide authority, thus the title became "state constable". Constables are empowered to enforce both criminal and civil laws, Police officers are empowered to enforce criminal and traffic laws, Sheriffs are the chief law enforcement officer of the county and are empowered to enforce criminal and civil laws. Sheriffs do have the authority to enforce traffic laws as defined in Commonwealth v. Leet (1994), however are not empowered to independently enforce DUI checkpoint as defined in Commonwealth v. John M. Marconi (2010). In Boroughs that have been divided into wards, there is the office of high constable, which appears to be more closely tied and supervised by the local government.


Rhode Island

It is noted in the
Rhode Island Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the List of U.S. states by area, smallest U.S. state by area and the List of states and territories of the United States ...
Constable Application that constables are not permitted to carry guns during the commission of their duties.


South Carolina

In
South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...
, a state constable is a
law enforcement officer A law enforcement officer (LEO), or peace officer in North American English, is a Public sector, public-sector employee whose duties primarily involve the Law enforcement, enforcement of laws. The phrase can include campaign disclosure specialist ...
who is either a uniformed or plainclothes law enforcement officer employed by one of the departments of the state government, a retired police officer, or a volunteer reserve police officer. Officers may be variously described as "state constables", "special state constables", "department of public safety special constables" and "magistrates' constables". State constables are appointed by the
Governor of South Carolina The governor of South Carolina is the head of government of South Carolina. The governor is the '' ex officio'' commander-in-chief of the National Guard when not called into federal service. The governor's responsibilities include making year ...
, and regulated by the
South Carolina Law Enforcement Division The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is a statewide investigative law enforcement agency in South Carolina. SLED provides manpower and technical assistance to other law enforcement agencies and conducts investigations on behalf of ...
.


Tennessee

In
Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
, constable is an elected position with full power of arrest and is a state peace officer. The
Tennessee Constitution The Constitution of the State of Tennessee defines the form, structure, activities, character, and fundamental rules (and means for changing them) of the U.S. State of Tennessee. The original constitution of Tennessee came into effect on June 1, ...
was amended in 1978 so as not to require counties to have this office. Prior to this point, it was mandatory to elect constables in each county. Subsequent statutory law has allowed its continuance in certain counties, with the stipulation that there be no more than half as many constables in a county as there are county commissioners in that county, except in counties where the general law provides for an exception by county population brackets. Constables are elected to four-year terms in August, many of which are the years coincident with presidential elections, but not all. Some constable elections, as in Greene County, are held during the presidential mid-terms. Unexpired terms may be filled by
special election A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, a bye-election in Ireland, a bypoll in India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-larges ...
, but such special election must be held coincidentally with another scheduled election. An unexpired term may also be filled by an appointee elected by that county's legislative body. Candidates for elected county office are not required to declare a party to run in some counties, in which case all seeking the office appear on the ballot in the general election, while in the counties where the county offices are elected on a partisan basis, candidates may seek a party's nomination to the office in a primary election or skip the process of being nominated by a party. In those counties, candidates may run as independents.


Texas

The
Texas Constitution The Constitution of the State of Texas is the document that establishes the structure and function of the government of the U.S. state of Texas, and enumerates the basic rights of the citizens of Texas. The current document was adopted on Febr ...
of 1876 (Article 5, Section 18) provides for the election of a constable in each precinct of a county, and counties may have between four and eight precincts each depending on their population. Currently, the term of office for Texas constables is four years. However, when vacancies arise, the commissioners coempowered police officers with county-wide jurisdiction and thus, may legally exercise their authority in any precinct within their county and adjacent counties; however, some constables' offices limit themselves to providing law enforcement services only to their respective precinct, except in the case of serving civil and criminal process. Constables and their deputies may serve civil process in any precinct in their county and any contiguous county and can serve warrants anywhere in the state. The duties of a
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
constable generally include providing bailiffs for the
justice of the peace A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...
courts within their precinct and serving process issued therefrom and from any other court. Moreover, some constables' offices limit themselves to only these activities but others provide patrol, investigative, and security services as well. In 2000, there were 2,630 full-time deputies and 418 reserve deputies working for the 760 constables' offices in Texas. Of this number, 35% were primarily assigned to patrol, 33% to serving process, 12% to court security, and 7% to criminal investigations. The Harris County Precinct 4 and 5 Constables' Offices are the largest constables' offices in Texas with over 600 deputies each.


Utah

In the State of
Utah Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, the constable is one of the first established law enforcement officers in state history. Constables, and their respective deputies, are public servants and serve and enforce civil and criminal process for state institutions, litigators, courts, private citizens, and prosecutors. Additionally, they conduct special investigations and provide judiciary security services for Utah’s justice courts as bailiffs. They are appointed by municipalities throughout Utah and may serve multiple terms. Constables and their deputies attend the police academy and are certified and sworn peace officers, although not tasked with "general law enforcement" duties. They possess statewide law enforcement jurisdiction and commonly serve summons and complaints, information, protective orders, stalking injunctions, subpoenas, warrants, writs, subpoenas, eviction orders, and orders to show cause. Additionally, they may make probable cause arrests or arrests pursuant to a warrant of arrest. Constables, and their deputies, are often uniformed similar to other law enforcement officers although, the types of law enforcement operations each constable's office conducts may vary by city and county ranging from civil process and court order enforcement, such as writ service, to criminal matters and bailiff duties.


Vermont

In
Vermont Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...
, constables are generally elected by the
town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an ori ...
. They are charged with service of process; the destruction of unlicensed or dangerous dogs or wolf-hybrids, and of injured deer; removal of disorderly people from
town meeting Town meeting is a form of local government in which most or all of the members of a community are eligible to legislate policy and budgets for local government. It is a town- or city-level meeting in which decisions are made, in contrast with ...
s; collection of taxes, when no tax collector is elected; and other duties. Constables have full law enforcement authority unless the town votes to either remove the authority or require training before such authority is exercised. Cities and villages may also have constables. Their duties and method of selection are governed by the
corporation A corporation is an organization—usually a group of people or a company—authorized by the state to act as a single entity (a legal entity recognized by private and public law "born out of statute"; a legal person in legal context) and r ...
's charter. Effective July 1, 2010, town clerks must certify constables are duly elected or appointed and the town has not voted to limit the constable's authority to engage in enforcement activities. Further, constables must certify they have successfully completed a basic training course and will complete the required annual in-service training.


West Virginia

David F. Green of
Davy, West Virginia Davy is a town in McDowell County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 420 at the 2010 census. Founded in 1873, the town was originally called Hallsville but the name would change to Davy by 1901. Davy was officially incorporated i ...
, was the last person to hold the elected office of constable in West Virginia. The office of Constable was abolished in West Virginia in 1976.sos.wv.gov


References

{{Reflist Law enforcement occupations Law enforcement titles Legal professions Police ranks .