So, What Exactly Does A Constable Do? - LINK Nky

Election primaries are drawing closer for local elections. Northern Kentucky residents will vote for candidates running for positions like judge/executive, family court judge, and coroner.

But there’s one position on the ballot that draws vague curiosity from voters: Constable. 

No, it’s not quite the same as the English law enforcement position. Constables are one of the oldest law enforcement positions in the world, gaining recognition in England as early as the year 1066, when they kept maintenance of the monarch’s armaments.

Michael Moffitt is the constable for Kenton County District 3. The former engineer is running unopposed for his fourth term. Assuming he is re-elected, by the end of his term, Moffitt will have served as a constable in Kenton County for 16 years.

Moffitt described his primary duties as delivering subpoenas, eviction notices, and other paper documents to residents. He serves the entirety of Kenton County, not just one specific area, although the majority of his deliveries are done in Park Hills, Fort Wright and Covington.

Moffitt said he does not have any traditional police training.

GET OUR DAILY NEWSLETTER

The stories all of NKY will be talking about, delivered to your inbox each weekday morning.

Sign up

“I simply serve the papers to him or her, and I enjoy it,” Moffitt said. “I do carry a gun when I do it, but I have a hat on and my badge out. I identify myself and who I am, I don’t hide anything. Then I have to sign the papers that I deliver on this date, and I turn it into the courthouse.”

In Kentucky, constables are elected by each magistrate district within each county. Per the Kentucky Constitution, constables are considered “peace officers” within the county and have the same countywide jurisdiction as the sheriff. Constables have been around in the Bluegrass state since 1865.

Constables have traditionally been utilized to deliver court documents, such as subpoenas, warrants, and summonses, to citizens. They can also dispatch a mad dog, kill a sick horse, donkey, mule or cow for a small fee.

By current law enforcement standards, constables are often considered obsolete. Many states have outright eliminated constables, while others have morphed the position into a more traditional law enforcement role.

“All I do is serve papers,” Moffitt said. “If I was told tomorrow, ‘You can’t hold this position anymore because you don’t have any training,’ I’d thank them and tell them I’ve greatly enjoyed the 12 years I’ve been able to serve as a Kenton County constable.”

Constables hold full arresting power within Kentucky, although they don’t have to be trained like police officers. Constables are one of four elected positions to hold that power along with coroners, jailers and sheriffs. Candidates for the position must be at least 24-years old, must have lived in Kentucky for at least two years, and in their specific district for at least one year.

Prior to the 1970s, constables were to provide court service and security for the justice of the peace courts. However, due to judicial reform, constables hold limited tangible functions.

Constables do have the power to put a blue light and siren on top of their service vehicle, although in Kenton, Campbell, and Boone counties, they are prohibited from doing so.

Many constables within Kentucky aren’t paid a salary, but get paid for the services they render. In counties with populations over 250,000 people, such as Jefferson and Fayette, state law requires constables to get paid an annual salary of $9,600. The Louisville Metro Council has since lowered the pay to $100 a month, plus expenses.

Due to constables being considered constitutional peace officers, they are exempt from the Department of Criminal Justice Training Academy, although many in the position in Kentucky do choose to undergo training. States such as South Carolina, Texas and Arizona require traditional police training in order to hold the office.

Critics of the office often argue it should be abolished due to inadequacy, but many counties and municipalities do continue to utilize the position. When casting a ballot in the upcoming primaries, voters can now find solace in the fact that they’re now well informed on the duties and responsibilities of a constable.

Liked this story? Help make the next one possible.

Independent local news doesn’t happen without community support. Your monthly donation helps us keep covering the people, issues, and places that make Northern Kentucky what it is.When you give, you’re not just supporting one story — you’re investing in all the ones still to come.

👉 Become a monthly donor

SUPPORT LOCAL NEWS DONATE

Related