A serjeant-at-arms, or sergeant-at-arms, is an officer appointed by a
deliberative body, usually a
legislature
A legislature is an deliberative assembly, assembly with the authority to make laws for a Polity, political entity such as a Sovereign state, country or city. They are often contrasted with the Executive (government), executive and Judiciary, ...
, to keep order during its meetings. The word "serjeant" is derived from the
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power ...
''serviens'', which means "servant". Historically, serjeants-at-arms were armed men retained by English lords and monarchs, and the
ceremonial mace
A ceremonial mace is a highly ornamented staff of metal or wood, carried before a sovereign or other high officials in civic ceremonies by a mace-bearer, intended to represent the official's authority. The mace, as used today, derives from the o ...
s which they are associated with were originally a
type of weapon.
Origins
The term "sergeant" can be given two main definitions; the first being a
military rank
Military ranks are a system of hierarchy, hierarchical relationships, within armed forces, police, intelligence agencies or other institutions organized along military lines. The military rank system defines dominance, authority, and responsibi ...
and the other a governmental role. Whereas technically the two roles were not mutually exclusive, they were very different in roles and duties. The soldier sergeant was a man of what would now be thought of as the 'middle class', fulfilling a junior role to the knight in the medieval hierarchy. Sergeants could fight either as heavy to light cavalry, or as well-trained professional infantry, either spearmen or crossbowmen. Most notable medieval mercenaries fell into the 'sergeant' class, such as
Flemish
Flemish (''Vlaams'') is a Low Franconian dialect cluster of the Dutch language. It is sometimes referred to as Flemish Dutch (), Belgian Dutch ( ), or Southern Dutch (). Flemish is native to Flanders, a historical region in northern Belgium ...
crossbowmen and spearmen, who were seen as reliable quality troops. The sergeant class were deemed to be 'worth half of a knight' in military value. The office originated in
medieval England
England in the Middle Ages concerns the history of England during the medieval period, from the end of the 5th century through to the start of the Early Modern period in 1485. When England emerged from the collapse of the Roman Empire, the econ ...
to serve the
sovereign in a police role, much like a
bailiff in more recent times. Indeed, the sergeants-at-arms constitute the oldest royal
bodyguard
A bodyguard (or close protection officer/operative) is a type of security guard, government law enforcement officer, or servicemember who protects a person or a group of people — usually witnesses, high-ranking public officials or officers ...
in England, dating from the time of King
Richard I
Richard I (8 September 1157 – 6 April 1199) was King of England from 1189 until his death in 1199. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Aquitaine and Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, and Count of Poitiers, Anjou, Maine, and Nantes, and was ove ...
(around 1189) as a formed body. The title "sergeant-at-arms" appears during the crusades during the reign of King Philip II of France in 1192.
The sergeant-at-arms was a personal attendant upon the
king
King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king.
*In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the ...
, specially charged with arresting those suspected of
treason
Treason is the crime of attacking a state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplo ...
. Richard I had 24 with him on the
Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and sometimes directed by the Latin Church in the medieval period. The best known of these Crusades are those to the Holy Land in the period between 1095 and 1291 that were ...
. They were formed into a twenty-strong Corps of Sergeants-at-Arms by King
Edward I in 1278, as a mounted close escort. In 1399 King
Richard II
Richard II (6 January 1367 – ), also known as Richard of Bordeaux, was King of England from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. He was the son of Edward the Black Prince, Prince of Wales, and Joan, Countess of Kent. Richard's father d ...
limited the corps to thirty sergeants, and King
Charles II had sixteen. The number was reduced to eight in 1685 and since then it has gradually declined.
The original responsibilities of the sergeant-at-arms included "collecting loans and, impressing men and ships, serving on local administration and in all sorts of ways interfering with local administration and justice."
Around 1415, the
British House of Commons received its first sergeant-at-arms. From that time onwards the sergeant has been a royal appointment, the sergeant being one of the sovereign's sergeants-at-arms. The
House of Lords
The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by appointment, heredity or official function. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster ...
has a similar officer.
The formal role of a sergeant-at-arms in modern legislative bodies is to keep order during meetings, and, if necessary, forcibly remove any members or guests who are overly rowdy or disruptive. A sergeant-at-arms may thus be a retired soldier, police officer, or other official with experience in law enforcement and security. The Sergeant-at-Arms of the House of Commons has general charge of certain administrative and custodial functions, as well as security within the chamber of the House.
Specific countries
Australia
The
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameralism, bicameral Parliament of Australia, the upper house being the Australian Senate, Senate. Its composition and powers are established in Chapter I of the Constitution of Austra ...
operates under the
Westminster
Westminster is an area of Central London, part of the wider City of Westminster.
The area, which extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street, has many visitor attractions and historic landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Buck ...
parliamentary system. The serjeant-at-arms is a career officer of the Department of the House of Representatives. The ceremonial duties are as the custodian of the
mace
Mace may refer to:
Spices
* Mace (spice), a spice derived from the aril of nutmeg
* '' Achillea ageratum'', known as English mace, a flowering plant once used as a herb
Weapons
* Mace (bludgeon), a weapon with a heavy head on a solid shaft used ...
, the symbol of the authority of the Crown and the House, and as the messenger for formal messages from the House to the Senate.
The serjeant has the authority to remove disorderly people, by force if necessary, from the House or the public or press galleries on the instructions of the speaker.
The administrative duties of the serjeant include allocation of office accommodation, furniture and fittings for members' offices, coordination of car transport for members, mail and courier services for the House, security for the House and arrangements for school visits. Once a meeting has started in a House the serjeant will usually stand at the door to keep authority and make sure no one else comes in or out.
Bangladesh
The serjeant-at-arms is the senior official of the National Parliament (
Jatiyo Sangshad) who is responsible for maintaining order during sessions and to maintain security and protocol at Parliament under the guidance of the speaker. Presently, Captain M M Naim Rahman (G), NGP, NCC, PSC, BN naval officer, is appointed as serjeant-at-arms.
Canada
The sergeant-at-arms is the senior official of the
House of Commons of Canada. In this role, the sergeant-at-arms is responsible for the building services and security of the House of Commons, and is appointed by the
governor general
Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy ...
acting on the advice of the federal cabinet. The sergeant-at-arms carries the mace, the symbol of the authority of the Crown, in the daily parade into the House of Commons chamber.
Provincial legislative assemblies, houses of assembly, national assemblies, and provincial parliaments (the nomenclature for legislatures varying between provinces) also employ sergeants-at-arms.
René Jalbert, sergeant-at-arms of the
National Assembly of Quebec
The National Assembly of Quebec (officially in french: link=no, Assemblée nationale du Québec) is the legislative body of the province of Quebec in Canada. Legislators are called MNAs (Members of the National Assembly; french: link=no, déput ...
, ended
Denis Lortie's killing spree in the Quebec
Parliament Building on 8 May 1984 by constituting himself hostage and negotiating with the shooter for four hours.
During the
2014 shootings at Parliament Hill, Ottawa
The 2014 shootings at Parliament Hill were a series of shootings that occurred on October 22, 2014, at Parliament Hill in Ottawa. At the Canadian National War Memorial, Corporal Nathan Cirillo, a Canadian soldier and reservist on ceremonial ...
, the then sergeant-at-arms of the House of Commons,
Kevin M. Vickers
Kevin Michael Vickers (born September 29, 1956) is a Canadian politician, former diplomat, and retired police officer. He served as the leader of the New Brunswick Liberal Association from 2019 to 2020, a retired Canadian diplomat, former Serge ...
, assisted
RCMP
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP; french: Gendarmerie royale du Canada; french: GRC, label=none), commonly known in English as the Mounties (and colloquially in French as ) is the federal and national police service of Canada. As poli ...
officers in engaging the gunman. Reports show that Sergeant-at-Arms Vickers, alongside
RCMP
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP; french: Gendarmerie royale du Canada; french: GRC, label=none), commonly known in English as the Mounties (and colloquially in French as ) is the federal and national police service of Canada. As poli ...
Constable Curtis Barrett, shot and killed the gunman who had gained access to the
Centre Block of the
Canadian Parliament
The Parliament of Canada (french: Parlement du Canada) is the federal legislature of Canada, seated at Parliament Hill in Ottawa, and is composed of three parts: the King, the Senate, and the House of Commons. By constitutional convention, the ...
buildings.
Liberia
In addition to the president pro tempore, the
Senate of Liberia
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislative branch of Liberia, and together with the House of Representatives comprises the Legislature of Liberia. Each of the fifteen counties are equally represented by two senators, elected to se ...
elects a secretary of the Senate, assistant secretary of the Senate and a sergeant-at-arms as officers of the Senate, though these positions are not held by sitting senators.
New Zealand
The New Zealand House of Representatives operates under the
Westminster
Westminster is an area of Central London, part of the wider City of Westminster.
The area, which extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street, has many visitor attractions and historic landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Buck ...
parliamentary system.
The current serjeant-at-arms is Captain Steve Streefkerk, RNZN (Rtd), a permanent officer of the House supported by the Chamber and Meeting Support Team.
The serjeant-at-arms controls officials and members staff coming to the House, and the surrounding areas such as the lobbies and the members lounge. There is involvement at select committees where the chairman seeks assistance to maintain good order. The serjeant-at-arms sits in the debating chamber opposite the speaker at the visitors door for each House sitting session to ensure that security is effective, good order is maintained, administers the Members Attendance Register and takes instructions from the
speaker or the other presiding officers - deputy speaker or two assistant speakers, when they are presiding.
The chamber and meeting support officers control all access to the House, and attend to the needs of the members of parliaments, and officials when the House is undertaking its business.
The gallery operation for visitors or strangers is controlled by the Parliamentary Service Security Service, but the speaker and the serjeant-at-arms have the overall authority as defined in Standing Orders.
Past serjeants-at-arms in recent times have been Group Captain Manson (who in May 1965 was promoted to Usher of the
Black Rod
Black Rod (officially known as the Lady Usher of the Black Rod or, if male, the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod) is an official in the parliaments of several Commonwealth countries. The position originates in the House of Lords of the Parliam ...
), Wing Commander Bob McKay, Ms Ipi Cross, Ms Carol Rankin, Mr Donald Cameron, Mr Fred Hutton and Mr Brent Smith.
South Africa
The serjeant-at-arms is a member of the parliamentary staff who acts as the official guardian of the
mace
Mace may refer to:
Spices
* Mace (spice), a spice derived from the aril of nutmeg
* '' Achillea ageratum'', known as English mace, a flowering plant once used as a herb
Weapons
* Mace (bludgeon), a weapon with a heavy head on a solid shaft used ...
, a decorated rod which is the symbol of the authority of the
Parliament of South Africa
The Parliament of the Republic of South Africa is South Africa's legislature; under the present Constitution of South Africa, the bicameral Parliament comprises a National Assembly and a National Council of Provinces. The current twenty-s ...
. The mace must be in position in the National Assembly chamber during a plenary sitting.
The serjeant-at-arms is also responsible for maintaining the attendance register of the members of House members. They must also maintain order in the House and remove people from the House as ordered by the
speaker.
According to the National Assembly Rules, "the Serjeant-at-Arms shall remove, or cause to be removed, any stranger from any part of a Chamber which has been set apart for members only, and also any stranger who, having been admitted into any other part of the Chamber, misconducts himself or herself or does not withdraw when strangers are ordered to withdraw."
The serjeant-at-arms is attired in a black tailcoat, waistcoat, starched white shirt, bow tie, and white gloves. The current serjeant-at-arms is Regina Mhlomi, who succeeded Godfrey Cleinwerck. The usher of the black rod is Vincent Shabalala, whose duty it is to escort the presiding officers of the
National Council of Provinces
The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) is the upper house of the Parliament of South Africa under the (post-apartheid) constitution which came into full effect in 1997. It replaced the former Senate, but is very similar to that body, and to ma ...
into its chamber.
Sri Lanka
The
Parliament of Sri Lanka
The Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (Sinhala: ශ්රී ලංකා පාර්ලිමේන්තුව ''Shri Lanka Parlimenthuwa'', Tamil: இலங்கை நாடாளுமன்றம் ''Ila ...
was established in the form of the
Westminster
Westminster is an area of Central London, part of the wider City of Westminster.
The area, which extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street, has many visitor attractions and historic landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Buck ...
parliamentary system. The serjeant-at-arms is appointed by the
secretary general of Parliament and is responsible for all ceremonial occasions as the
master of ceremonies in Parliament, preservation of order, custody of the
mace
Mace may refer to:
Spices
* Mace (spice), a spice derived from the aril of nutmeg
* '' Achillea ageratum'', known as English mace, a flowering plant once used as a herb
Weapons
* Mace (bludgeon), a weapon with a heavy head on a solid shaft used ...
, security, admission of visitors, allocation of accommodation within the House and supervision of galleries.
Assisting the serjeant-at-arms in his duties would be the deputy serjeant-at-arms and the assistant serjeant-at-arms.
Responsible for security, by tradition he is the only officer authorized to carry a weapon (ceremonial sword) inside the Parliament building and is assisted by the Parliament Police Division.
Admission of visitors to the precincts of Parliament is controlled by the serjeant-at-arms. The serjeant-at-arms and assistant serjeant-at-arms would wear a white uniform with medal ribbons during normal sittings of parliament. On ceremonial occasions they would wear a uniform similar to a
No. 1 Dress uniform of a
major general
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
in the
Sri Lanka Army
ta, இலங்கை இராணுவம்
, image = File:Sri Lanka Army Logo.png
, image_size = 180px
, caption = Emblem of the Sri Lanka Army
, start_date ...
, with varied
gorget patchs and
epaulette
Epaulette (; also spelled epaulet) is a type of ornamental shoulder piece or decoration used as insignia of rank by armed forces and other organizations. Flexible metal epaulettes (usually made from brass) are referred to as ''shoulder scales ...
similar to a
flag officer
A flag officer is a commissioned officer in a nation's armed forces senior enough to be entitled to fly a flag to mark the position from which the officer exercises command.
The term is used differently in different countries:
*In many countr ...
of the
Sri Lanka Navy
ta, இலங்கை கடற்படை
, image = Sri Lanka Naval Seal.png
, image_size = 180px
, caption = Emblem of Sri Lanka Navy
, dates =
, c ...
During the normal sitting days of the House, the serjeant-at-arms wears a white colour uniform and on ceremonial occasions is clad with specially designed black colour ceremonial attire. (equivalent to the rank of the major-general)
The first serjeant-at-arms of Parliament was M. Ismail MBE, who was appointed in 1947.
Ronnie Abeysinghe
Ronald Abeysinghe (also called "Ronnie") (26 July 1936 – 11 February 2002) was the former Serjeant-at-Arms of the Sri Lankan Parliament from 1970 to 1996.
Early life
Abeysinghe was born on 26 July 1936 in Teldeniya, close to Kandy. His ...
was the longest serving serjeant-at-arms in the history of Sri Lanka. He held the position from 1970 to 1996.
The current serjeant-at-arms is Anil P. Samarasekara.
United Kingdom
Parliament
The
serjeant-at-arms of the House of Commons
The Serjeant at Arms of the House of Commons is a parliamentary official responsible for order in the House of Commons. The office dates to 1415 and traditionally included responsibility for security. The role is now mainly ceremonial.
The Hou ...
is responsible for security matters concerning the House of Commons. The serjeant, whilst in the Commons overseeing proceedings, can also escort members of parliament out of the chamber by order of the
speaker of the House
The speaker of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body, is its presiding officer, or the chair. The title was first used in 1377 in England.
Usage
The title was first recorded in 1377 to describe the role of Thomas de Hunger ...
. The post dates back to 1415, and has often been held by retired military or police figures (though in recent years those from a civil service background have been appointed). The current serjeant-at-arms is
Ugbana Oyet (appointed in October 2019); he was previously an electrical engineer in Parliament.
The equivalent officer for the House of Lords is the
Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod (also known simply as ''Black Rod''); there was formerly a separate serjeant-at-arms of the House of Lords, but the two appointments were merged in 1971 (since when the mace has routinely been carried by Black Rod's deputy, the Yeoman Usher).
The Royal Household
In addition to the above-mentioned officers there are other serjeants-at-arms who attend the sovereign on state occasions, a remnant of the body established by Richard I (though today their role is purely ceremonial). Usually, members of the
Royal Household who serve as serjeants-at-arms have had the office bestowed on them as a mark of distinction for long and meritorious service.
Insignia
The mace serves as a symbol of royal and parliamentary authority. Ten maces are kept in the
Jewel House at the
Tower of London
The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, which is sepa ...
in addition to those kept by the House of Commons, the House of Lords and the Lord Chancellor. As well as carrying their maces, on state occasions each serjeant-at-arms wears a
collar of esses as a symbol of his or her office. As a testament to the symbolic power of the insignia, when the
Republic of Ireland
Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 Counties of Ireland, counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern ...
declared independence from the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
at the
First Dáil
The First Dáil ( ga, An Chéad Dáil) was Dáil Éireann as it convened from 1919 to 1921. It was the first meeting of the unicameral parliament of the revolutionary Irish Republic. In the December 1918 election to the Parliament of the Un ...
in 1919, one of the first decisions declared was that there was to be "no robes, no mace, no velveted sergeant-at-arms".
United States
The two houses of the
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the House of Representatives, and an upper body, the Senate. It meets in the U.S. Capitol in Washi ...
maintain the position of sergeant-at-arms. The sergeants are charged with the maintenance of order on the floor of the chamber (in the House, he may "display" the
mace
Mace may refer to:
Spices
* Mace (spice), a spice derived from the aril of nutmeg
* '' Achillea ageratum'', known as English mace, a flowering plant once used as a herb
Weapons
* Mace (bludgeon), a weapon with a heavy head on a solid shaft used ...
in front of an unruly member as an
admonition to behave); they serve with the
Architect of the Capitol
The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is the federal agency responsible for the maintenance, operation, development, and preservation of the United States Capitol Complex. It is an agency of the legislative branch of the federal government and i ...
on the commission that oversees the
United States Capitol Police
The United States Capitol Police (USCP) is a federal law enforcement agency in the United States with nationwide jurisdiction charged with protecting the United States Congress within the District of Columbia and throughout the United States an ...
and security for the Congress, and they serve a variety of other functional and ceremonial roles.
Other bodies
Other bodies—from state and local legislative houses (city councils, county legislatures and the like) to civic and social organizations—have created posts of sergeants-at-arms, primarily to enforce order at the direction of the
chair
A chair is a type of seat, typically designed for one person and consisting of one or more legs, a flat or slightly angled seat and a back-rest. They may be made of wood, metal, or synthetic materials, and may be padded or upholstered in vari ...
and to assist in practical details of organizing meetings. Other duties may include the greeting of visitors or providing security.
The sergeant-at-arms may be in charge of the organization's property.
The title is also used in criminal motorcycle clubs like
Hells Angels
The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club (HAMC) is a worldwide outlaw motorcycle club whose members typically ride Harley-Davidson motorcycles. In the United States and Canada, the Hells Angels are incorporated as the Hells Angels Motorcycle Corporati ...
.
In large organizations, the sergeant-at-arms may have assistants.
A law enforcement officer may serve in the role of sergeant-at-arms or it may be a paid (or unpaid), permanent position in the organization.
Notes
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sergeant-At-Arms
Westminster system
British ceremonial units
Bodyguards
Positions within the British Royal Household
Serjeants-at-Arms of the House of Commons of England