About Constables
History
Constables are the oldest branch of law enforcement in the Commonwealth, established when James, Duke of York, seized control of the territory from the Dutch in 1664, even before King Charles II granted the colony to William Penn in 1681. This point of pride is highlighted by the Constables' motto, "First in Law Enforcement".
The Constable's powers and duties originate from pre-Revolutionary British common law in which Constables were in charge of the court of chivalry, a civil court with jurisdiction over matters of heraldry, served as justices of the peace, commanded garrisons and castles, and were responsible for arming the militia and suppressing riots and violent crimes. Modern Pennsylvania courts have recognized this ancient tradition in today's Constables' powers and duties: "In determining the authority of peace officers we must consider not only statutory powers but also any common law powers which preexisted and exceed those statutory powers". -- Taylor, 450 Pa.Super. at 589, 677 A.2d at 849.
With the establishment of paid state and municipal police forces during the 19th and 20th centuries, some powers of Constables, primarily over misdemeanor criminal matters and investigative functions, were given to police departments. Constables retained civil, judicial, and peace keeping powers.
Powers & Duties
- warrantless arrest for felony crimes, offenses against any law for the protection of forests and timber land, any witnessed violation of any borough ordinance for which a fine or penalty is imposed, any unlawful act endangering personal security or property, and breaches of the peace committed in their presence, anywhere in the Commonwealth (Title 44 Pa.C.S. Chapter 71)
- investigate criminal complaints as would a detective when directed by the court (Title 44 Pa.C.S. Chapter 71)
- keep order at the election polls and ensure that no qualified voter is obstructed from voting -- constables are the only law enforcement officer permitted at the polls on Election Day (Title 44 Pa.C.S. Chapter 71)
- serve complaints, summonses, and notices for the minor judiciary (Title 44 Pa.C.S. Chapter 71)
- levy personal property for public sale to satisfy judgments (Title 44 Pa.C.S. Chapter 71)
- execute orders of possession and ejectment (Title 44 Pa.C.S. Chapter 71)
- execute warrants of arrest (Title 44 Pa.C.S. Chapter 71)
- effectuate the payment of fines (Title 44 Pa.C.S. Chapter 71)
- take custody and convey defendants and incarcerated prisoners (Title 44 Pa.C.S. Chapter 71)
- provide for courthouse security (Title 44 Pa.C.S. Chapter 71)
- direct traffic and no person shall willfully fail or refuse to comply with any lawful order or direction thereof (Title 75 Pa.C.S. Chapter 31)
- impound and sell trespassing livestock (Title 44 Pa.C.S. Chapter 71)
Training
Constables are trained through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) — the same agency that trains sheriffs and deputy sheriffs. Under Act 49, constables complete mandatory training before performing judicial duties:
- 80 hours initial basic training
- 40 hours initial firearms training
- Annual continuing education: 8 hours in-person + 12 hours online
- Annual firearms recertification: 8 hours
The curriculum covers: criminal and civil law and procedure, the PA unified court system, court security, prisoner transport and custody, mechanics of arrest, crisis intervention, management of aggressive behavior (MOAB), use of force, defensive tactics, expandable baton, chemical aerosol, professional communications and conduct, ethics, and firearms.
The PCCD firearms qualification course requires 60 rounds and 75% accuracy — comparable to MPOETC (municipal police) qualification at 50 rounds and 75% accuracy. Emergency vehicle operations are not part of constable training because constables are not highway patrol and have no highway patrol function. Their training matches their statutory mission.
Beyond the state mandate, the majority of constables invest substantially in additional private training throughout the year, including:
- Active shooter response, CPR/AED, bleeding control, first aid, and wilderness first aid
- Tactical emergency casualty care and life flight coordination
- Community policing, patrol procedures, and domestic violence response
- Emergency vehicle operations and patrol rifle certification
- Drug awareness, K-9 handling, and mass casualty incident response
- Search and seizure law, crowd control tactics, and report writing
- FEMA Incident Command System (ICS) and National Incident Management System (NIMS)
- Hazardous materials operations, naloxone administration, and rescue taskforce operations
- Taser training, cybersecurity fundamentals, and leadership development
This voluntary training is funded entirely by constables themselves.
Equipment
Constables procure and maintain all of their own equipment with no government budget allocation or reimbursement. Typical equipment includes:
- Badge and photo identification
- Duty belt, holster, and restraints
- Pepper spray and other less-lethal tools
- Body armor (bulletproof vest)
- Patrol firearm and ammunition (constables are authorized to carry firearms under Act 49)
- Police scanner and two-way radio
- Transport vehicle with prisoner cage (required by AOPC standards for visual and functional equivalency with police and sheriff vehicles)
- Portable lighting and safety equipment
The total cost of equipping a constable from scratch — including a compliant transport vehicle — routinely exceeds $10,000, borne entirely by the constable.
Costs & Fees
Constables are required by statute (44 Pa.C.S. § 7142) to carry professional liability insurance — yet they are paid per service performed, not by salary, and receive no government benefits of any kind. They bear all training costs, equipment costs, vehicle costs, and insurance costs personally, and are taxed as self-employed individuals on all fee income.
For judicial duties — serving warrants, summonses, civil process, and court orders — fee schedules are set by the Pennsylvania General Assembly under Title 44 Pa.C.S. Chapter 71 and have not kept pace with inflation or the actual cost of service. For non-judicial services — peacekeeping, civil standby, event security, custody escorts, and other public safety work — constables negotiate rates directly with the requesting party, whether a government agency, business, or private individual.
Every constable service also carries a $5 training surcharge assessed under state law, the proceeds of which fund the Constables' Education and Training Board (CETB). This surcharge has been unchanged since 1994 — thirty years without adjustment — while training costs have risen substantially. The result is a training fund perpetually under financial pressure, even as opponents call for more training mandates.
Because constables are fee-paid independent officers — not employees of any government body — they receive no health insurance, no pension, no sick leave, and no other employment benefits. The practical result: constables are regulated like public officials, insured like professionals, and compensated like piece workers. The public receives essential law enforcement services; the constable absorbs the true cost.
Statistics
- As of December 31, 2024, Pennsylvania had 1,265 elected constables statewide, of whom 866 were actively certified by the Constables' Education and Training Board (CETB). They serve all 67 counties across thousands of townships, boroughs, and wards. (Source: CETB 2024 Annual Report)
- In 2024, constables performed an estimated over 300,000 judicial services statewide — warrants, summonses, civil process, prisoner transport, and court orders — based on CETB training surcharge fee collections. (Source: CETB 2024 Annual Report)
- Constables are the only law enforcement officers legally permitted inside polling places on Election Day under Pennsylvania law — a role held since the founding of the Commonwealth.
- When the Pennsylvania State Police were organized in 1905, the legislature explicitly granted them "all the powers and prerogatives conferred by law upon members of the police force of the first class, and upon constables of the Commonwealth" — the constable system was the foundational authority from which all other Pennsylvania law enforcement derives.
- Without constables, rural communities throughout Pennsylvania would lose their only practical local law enforcement presence.


