History of the Constable Creation The invasion of England by William the Conqueror in 1066 A.D. was the beginning of the Constable involvement in government. In that day and time, the Constable was in charge of the Kings' army and equipment. It later grew to be a peace keeper in local burroughs in the kingdom. In 1215, the Magna Carta was created and this was the first attempt at a more democratic government by the King of England. In it is listed the duties of Constable as a facilitator for the king in settling issues and providing an ear for the peasants to sound their differences among each other. When the New World was discovered and subsequently settled, the new pilgrims brought along a copy of the Magna Carta and it stipulated that the Constable office would be the form of law enforcement in the new land. And so it has remained for centuries. Even what is now New York City in 1800 had Constables as their form of law enforcement before incorporating and creating their own police department. While attending the FBI National Academy in 1994 during the 177th session, the subject of Constable constantly came up by officers from the North and the West saying they had never heard of it. By checking websites for those areas they were to find badges, history, and other info on the involvement of Contstables in their respective areas. Local In the settlement of the Fort Bend County area by Stephen F. Austin in the early 1800's by his agreement and contract with Mexico, it was stipulated that the area would be policed by Constables. Thus, Constables were created in Texas history and remains the oldest form of formal law enforcement still in existence. Today, Constables are required to run for office every 4 years usually during the presidential election year.
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