tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post6030980094299165113..comments2024-03-15T05:45:01.402-05:00Comments on Grits for Breakfast: What are constables for and why do we still need them?Gritsforbreakfasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-4347127156371427762007-07-04T15:25:00.000-05:002007-07-04T15:25:00.000-05:00I can tell you Constables are out of control and c...I can tell you Constables are out of control and comitting crimes as bad as the folks who are in jail. Constables are mostly unqualified and operating on the good ol boy system. Some even have criminal records. Red neck politics keep the Constable circus performing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-74905074416673553012007-05-29T14:45:00.000-05:002007-05-29T14:45:00.000-05:00your article fails to inform your readers that eac...your article fails to inform your readers that each dallas county constables office has a warrant division that clears on average 1500 warrants a month per pct (5 total) that equals 7500 warrants a month cleared. please tell the whole story!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-77718635778185712722007-05-16T14:59:00.000-05:002007-05-16T14:59:00.000-05:00No -- never seen it.I've only seen the Texas Range...No -- never seen it.<BR/><BR/>I've only seen the Texas Rangers lock up a sheriff.<BR/><BR/>But any constable has the authority.<BR/><BR/>The 1876 Constitution included several balance-of-powers ideas to weaken any single county official.<BR/><BR/>County commissioners can pick and choose whether and how to equip the sheriff and constables.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-46723610372858421432007-05-16T06:45:00.000-05:002007-05-16T06:45:00.000-05:00Can you name any instance when a constable has loc...Can you name any instance when a constable has locked up a sheriff? I've seen local police do it, the feds do it, but never a constable.Gritsforbreakfasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-32885770713647852972007-05-15T22:47:00.000-05:002007-05-15T22:47:00.000-05:00Constables can do something very important:They ca...Constables can do something very important:<BR/><BR/>They can lock up the sheriff.<BR/><BR/>Basically, this is one of those balance-of-powers offices that needs to be managed, not eliminated.<BR/><BR/>After all, it's the county commissioners who issue the patrol cars and radar guns.<BR/><BR/>In some counties, constables drive their own cars and serve papers.<BR/><BR/>If you have constable problems, blame the commissioners who turned them loose.<BR/><BR/>And for the comment about school district police running radar: That's not legal. They only have authority on campus.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-9730423640320373772007-05-15T08:05:00.000-05:002007-05-15T08:05:00.000-05:00In Bexar county they are OUT of Control! Even runn...In Bexar county they are OUT of Control! Even running radar in school zones. Our local school police have their own radar units! It's time, again, for the lege to take control and MAKE the constables do what they were given authority to do-"serve warrants/process civil paperwork"!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-36477530105831598272007-05-14T18:30:00.000-05:002007-05-14T18:30:00.000-05:00In Harris County, the Constable Mafia gets to "pla...In Harris County, the Constable Mafia gets to "play police", that is pick n' choose which crimes they respond to. They don't get involved in real nasty bloody crimes. The only responde to crime that they can get good publicity off of. Most of them are contract patrol in subdivisions that hire them as personal security guards for wealthy communities that want personal police service. If the county commissioners don't happen to like their local sheriff, they give most of the moiney to the constable yes-men that they can control.<BR/>A real nightmare, that should be abolished.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-27774733896479749352007-05-14T10:21:00.000-05:002007-05-14T10:21:00.000-05:00In probably 90% of the counties, constables exist ...In probably 90% of the counties, constables exist simply because a retired peace officer ran for the job. They 1) cost counties $, 2) file more lawsuits AGAINST their counties than any other set of elected officials, 3) do nothing not handled by someone else, 4) require a constitutional amendment to get get rid of the office unless it has been vacant for a set number of years (in which case, if you bring it up to get rid of it, someone will run for it). In short, while the metropolitan areas might can use them, most of us would be glad to see them go...But - they have a heck of a lobby!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com