Constables don’t exist everywhere, so it’s common to be asked, “What is a constable?”
Here in Mobile County, Alabama a constable is an elected or Governor appointed law enforcement position. It is the oldest law enforcement title in the United States. In some states the title has been changed to county or city Marshal. There is one constable position in each of the 88 voting precincts in Mobile County.
What can a constable do?
Constables are charged with keeping the peace, stopping a suspect, making arrests, serving subpoenas, and serving warrants. These statutes define the basic roles for Alabama law enforcement agencies, listing constables equally alongside the others.
What is the salary for a constable?
Zero. There is no salary or stipend for constables in most of Alabama, including Mobile County. Constables are paid from fees collected through tickets or civil service or when privately hired for certain services. Activities like community policing, working traffic accidents and parade details are done at no expense to anyone except the constable. No tax dollars are paid to constables making it the most economical law enforcement position in existence. Since no tax dollars are involved, constables are responsible for providing their own equipment, including vehicles and other duty related gear.
What training are constables required to have?
None, unfortunately. Elected peace officers in Alabama (sheriffs and constables) are not required to be certified by the Alabama Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission (APOSTC), commonly referred to as completing a police academy. It is certainly in the best interest of both the constable and the public for a constable to seek out any and all training he or she can. Training is almost always at the expense of the constable himself.
What types of services are available from the Mobile County Constable Precinct 59 office?
We regularly provide private security, traffic control, service of process, service of evictions, community policing, escorts and more. We do not provide any legal advice. To inquire about a specific service please reach out to us through the Contact page.