Tagged: Constables

Legislation that would abolish or greatly reduce the powers of Kentucky's constables was filed last week in the General Assembly, but the head of the Kentucky Constables Association says his group is creating a draft bill that would provide them training.

State Sen. Julie Denton, a Louisville Republican, filed a bill that would remove constables' peace officer powers from the Kentucky Revised Statutes—meaning that constables would lose police powers, such as the ability to make arrests. Constables could still serve court papers.

The Kentucky Association of Counties supports a recommendation to do away with the office of constable in Kentucky.

KACO President-elect Tommy Turner says his group agrees with a Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice report that calls the office outdated.

"Statistical analysis shows that law enforcement by constable represents only one-fourth of one percent of annual law enforcement work. We support a constitutional amendment to abolish the office,'he said.

A new report by Kentucky's Justice Cabinet advocates the elimination or limiting of Kentucky's constable offices.

The office is established  in the Kentucky Constitution, but the report said constables no longer help law enforcement -- performing but .02 percent of all recorded law enforcement in the state --  and are often liabilities to counties.

“For the most part, constables perform security guard functions, direct traffic at events or serve civil process," the report said.