Serjeant-at-arms
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A serjeant-at-arms, or sergeant-at-arms, is an officer appointed by a
deliberative body A deliberative assembly is a meeting of Collective, members who use parliamentary procedure. Etymology In a speech to the electorate at Bristol in 1774, Edmund Burke described the Parliament of Great Britain, British Parliament as a "deliberative ...
, usually a
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 ...
, 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 of the ...
''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 or ...
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 hierarchical relationships, within armed forces, police, intelligence agencies or other institutions organized along military lines. The military rank system defines dominance, authority, and responsibility in a ...
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 ''Sovereign'' is a title which can be applied to the highest leader in various categories. The word is borrowed from Old French , which is ultimately derived from the Latin , meaning 'above'. The roles of a sovereign vary from monarch, ruler or ...
in a police role, much like a
bailiff 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 offi ...
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, w ...
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 overl ...
(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 tit ...
, 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 in ...
. They were formed into a twenty-strong Corps of Sergeants-at-Arms by King
Edward I Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he ruled the duchies of Aquitaine and Gascony as a vassal o ...
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 died ...
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 The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the upper house, the House of Lords, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England. The House of Commons is an elected body consisting of 650 mem ...
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 Bicameralism, upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by Life peer, appointment, Hereditary peer, heredity or Lords Spiritual, official function. Like the ...
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 bicameral Parliament of Australia, the upper house being the Senate. Its composition and powers are established in Chapter I of the Constitution of Australia. The term of members of the ...
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, Bu ...
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, 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 The Jatiya Sangsad ( bn, জাতীয় সংসদ, lit=National Parliament, translit=Jatiyô Sôngsôd), often referred to simply as the ''Sangsad'' or JS and also known as the House of the Nation, is the supreme legislative body of B ...
) 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 The House of Commons of Canada (french: Chambre des communes du Canada) is the lower house of the Parliament of Canada. Together with the Crown and the Senate of Canada, they comprise the bicameral legislature of Canada. The House of Common ...
. 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 t ...
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 René Marc Jalbert (20 February 1921 – 21 January 1996) was a retired Canadian Forces officer and sergeant-at-arms of the National Assembly of Quebec, known for his role in ending Denis Lortie's killing spree in the Parliament Building o ...
, 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 Denis Lortie (born March 10, 1959) is a former Canadian Forces corporal. In 1984, he stormed into the Parliament Building in Quebec City and opened fire with several firearms, killing three government employees and wounding 13 others. The Natio ...
'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 The Centre Block (french: Édifice du Centre) is the main building of the Canadian parliamentary complex on Parliament Hill, in Ottawa, Ontario, containing the House of Commons and Senate chambers, as well as the offices of a number of members ...
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, Bu ...
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 Speaker may refer to: Society and politics * Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly * Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture * A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially: ** In ...
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, 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-seve ...
. 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 Speaker may refer to: Society and politics * Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly * Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture * A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially: ** In ...
. 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, Bu ...
parliamentary system. The serjeant-at-arms is appointed by the
secretary general of Parliament The Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (Sinhala: ශ්‍රී ලංකා පාර්ලිමේන්තුව ''Shri Lanka Parlimenthuwa'', Tamil: இலங்கை நாடாளுமன்றம் ''Ila ...
and is responsible for all ceremonial occasions as the master of ceremonies in Parliament, preservation of order, custody of the mace, 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 patch Gorget patches (collar tabs, collar patches) are an insignia in the form of paired patches of cloth or metal on the collar of a uniform (gorget), used in the military and civil service in some countries. Collar tabs sign the military rank (group of ...
s and
epaulette Epaulette (; also spelled epaulet) is a type of ornamental shoulder piece or decoration used as insignia of military rank, rank by armed forces and other organizations. Flexible metal epaulettes (usually made from brass) are referred to as ''sh ...
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. Hi ...
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 Hungerf ...
. 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 Ugbana Oyet (born September 1976) is a Nigerian-born British chartered engineer and the current Serjeant at Arms of the House of Commons (United Kingdom), Serjeant-at-Arms of the House of Commons. Oyet is the first Black Serjeant-at-Arms. Early ...
(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 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 ...
(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 The Jewel House is a vault housing the British Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom, Crown Jewels in the Waterloo Block (formerly a barracks) at the Tower of London. It was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1994 and refurbished in 2012. Regalia ...
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 separa ...
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 A livery collar or chain of office is a collar or heavy chain, usually of gold, worn as insignia of office or a mark of fealty or other association in Europe from the Middle Ages onwards. One of the oldest and best-known livery collars is the C ...
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 the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern side of the island. A ...
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 continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
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 Unite ...
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 Washing ...
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 in front of an unruly member as an
admonition Admonition (or "being admonished") is the lightest punishment under Scots law. It occurs when an offender who has been found guilty or who has pleaded guilty, is not given a fine, but instead receives a lesser penalty in the form of a verbal wa ...
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 is ...
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 vario ...
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 Corporatio ...
. 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