Apr 28, 2018 3 min read

If someone has a question about the conduct of a Washington County constable related to his or her official duties, a new board will be in place next week to consider the issue.

Washington County President Judge Katherine B. Emery has authorized the creation of a Constable Review Board, beginning Tuesday.

The board will assist in resolving disputes related to a constable’s performance of judicial duties and to develop a code of conduct for local constables.

Judge Valarie Costanzo will chair the Constable Review Board, which will include District Judge Ethan Ward, Court Administrator Patrick R. Grimm, Washington County Controller Michael Namie and William Miller, a South Strabane Township elected constable.

“We get a few calls now and then,” Grimm said Friday. “Some of it is not understanding how the system works.”

The controller’s office exercises financial oversight and has encountered the occasional computational error.

“We process payments to constables,” said Namie, who took office 16 years ago. “Typically, everything’s in order.”

The county budgets about $200,000 each year for constables transporting prisoners and providing services such as serving arrest warrants and protection-from-abuse orders. Constables also can be paid by the magisterial courts for collecting unpaid fines or executing warrants.

Constables are elected officials who are members of the executive branch, and subsequently held to state-based regulations.

“Constables must adhere to statewide requirements and guidelines issued by the Supreme Court,” Grimm said.

Emery noted constables perform services to the courts, and counties depend on them. Until now, “the court had no mechanism to field complaints and set uniform standards throughout the county.”

“For years, the only check on a bad or underperforming constable was the district judge’s discretion to choose which constables serve warrants,” said Emery. “We want constables in Washington County to act professionally, be accountable, and interact appropriately with the public.”

Constables and their deputies go through a training process to become certified, including available firearm education. Training requirements must also be completed annually. In Pennsylvania, the process is overseen by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. Only certified constables may perform judicial duties and receive pay.

If a constable’s performance of judicial duties is questioned by the public, a complaint may be filed in writing with the court administrator’s office.

The complaint will be investigated by the board, which will recommend to the president judge whether the constable should be suspended from the performance of judicial duties.

The Washington County Court Administrator’s office address is 1 South Main St., Suite 2004, Washington, PA 15301. Its fax number is 724-228-6938. Grimm said court information technology is preparing a complaint form for its website.

Constables sometimes act as security guards. Complaints that involve nonjudicial duties or potential criminality are outside the board’s jurisdiction and will be referred to the appropriate law enforcement agency.

Greene County does not have a constable review board. Complaints that are made regarding constables are investigated by the office of court administration.

Sheila Rode, Greene County Court administrator, said the office has investigated only one complaint in about the last five years.