Originally Posted by
Char-Gar
In Texas Constables are elected in Justice of the Peace precincts, some times Constables serve multiple JP precincts. To be a Contable or a Deputy Constable, the individual must be a certified Texas Peace Officer. While they serve the various JP courts, they also have general statewide law enforcement jurisdiction. They are often the first responders to rural crime scenes. Their compensation is set by the County Court in which they serve.
They serve a very valuable function in the Texas legal system and are not "wannabe" cops. In large counties, they my seem to be irrelvant, but in low population/rural counties, they are often the first line of law enforcement. They are most often closer to a law enforcment need than the County Sheriff who is often many miles away. They also preform valuable traffic control service on the rural roads in their precincts where State Troopers and Sheriffs Deputies seldom are seen.