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A Brief History
The Office of Constable dates back at least to 1066 and the Norman Conquest of England. William the Conqueror appointed constables to supervise individual communities, or boroughs. A constable's duties varied considerably in different circumstances and times. They were often similar to those of a sheriff, who supervised a shire (the equivalent of a county or parish). Over time, however,
as sheriffs were given increasing administrative duties, constables assumed primary responsibility for local law enforcement. The office of constable had been transplanted to the British colonies in North America by the mid-seventeenth century, and with it continued the divergence between constable and sheriff. In America, as in England, the main qualification for the office of sheriff was "that he be of sufficient estate." This limited the choices for sheriff to a relatively small and elite group of
planters in each county. As a result, few sheriffs had either the ability or desire to serve warrants or bring offenders to justice. Consequently, the constable and justice of the peace were about the only law and order most rural American settlers ever saw.
The Constable continues today as a public officer possessing extensive powers. However the duties of Constables have been modified from time to time by custom and statute.
Even the colloquial term "Cop" had its origin in the activities surrounding Constable. It means "Constable on Patrol."
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