Editing Constable (section)

===United States===
{{Main|Constables in the United States}}

In the United States, use of the term constable is varied, and use may differ within a state. A constable may be an official responsible for [[service of process]], such as [[summons]]es and [[subpoena]]s for people to appear in court in criminal and/or civil matters; on the other hand, they can be fully empowered [[Police|law enforcement]] officers. Constables may also have additional specialized duties unique to the office. In some states, a constable may be appointed by the governor or a judge or magistrate of the court which he or she serves; in others 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 which took place in the mid-19th century, local law enforcement was performed by constables and [[Watchmen (law enforcers)|watchmen]].<ref>[http://faculty.ncwc.edu/TOCONNOR/205/205lect04.htm A Brief Guide to Police History] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071216153655/http://faculty.ncwc.edu/TOCONNOR/205/205lect04.htm |date=2007-12-16 }}, North Carolina Wesleyan College</ref> Constables were appointed or elected at the local level for specific terms and, like their UK counterparts the [[parish constable]], were not paid and did not wear a uniform. However, they were often paid a fee by the courts for each [[writ]] served and [[Warrant (law)|warrant]] executed. Following the example of the British [[Metropolitan Police]] 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]] 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 (police rank)|trooper]] and, historically, [[private (rank)|private]], 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 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]].