Constables laying off deputies

[Jeebus]

30 posts later and the job of the Constable's office still hasn't even been answered yet. Their primary purpose is to execute court orders. They also provide contract patrol services.

The only areas they patrol and/or write tickets in are the areas in which they have a contract. They extend their coverage area to include the route from their station to the contract location as well. Harris County Toll Road Authority has a contract with them, which is why they exclusively patrol the toll roads. They also have contracts with various neighborhoods throughout the metro region. These contracts pay for the entire cost of the officer, benefits, and expenses - including patrol car. No tax payer money is spent to fund these contracts. They are offered as a way to bolster police presence in neighborhoods where police and sheriff deputies seldom patrol because there is typically little crime.

If you've been pulled over by a constable, that's because you were on their beat and they were doing so at the implied behest of the organization for which they have been contracted by.

The God's honest truth is that no vital protection will be lost by Constables laid off the way there would be a drop in protection if police or deputies were laid off. Contract services that organizations wishing to continue paying the contract will continue to have service. As well, the core mission of the Constable's office to execute court orders will continue.

[crunchtastic]

I don't understand the patrol for fee thing. My neighborhood organization does not have a contract of any sort with the constables, (nor, I;'m guesing, do the areas in the 2nd and 5th wards) but they are always in the neighborhood. If they don't have actual patrol districts and are for-hire only, then why do they have storefronts? Gulfgate might pay them, and they do have a storefornt there. Everyone here knows to call the precinct 6 HQ instead of (or in addition to) HPD for non-emergencies because they respond quickly. I don't know if it's because Victor Trevino lives here and himself makes a point to be visible in the commuity (he has his own TV show after all), but his folks are just as much a law enforcment presence as city cops.

[RedScare]

Jeebus is incorrect. While the primary duties of constables are the service of civil and criminal papers, securing witnesses, and providing bailiffs for the Justice of the Peace, they are in fact certified peace officers, and may carry out any of the functions of a peace officer, including patrols, investigations, and arrests of offenders. Due to the usually more limited budgets of constables, law enforcement is generally ceded to the sheriff. However, many constables, especially in Harris County, found that fielding patrol officers, complete with fully marked patrol vehicles, provided valuable exposure come election time. Constable staffs grew with Harris County's exploding population, especially in the north and west areas of the county, where population growth outpaced the sheriff's ability to patrol it. Over time, the contract deputy program grew to the point that it became the biggest part of some offices.

Investigation of major crimes is still largely given to the sheriff, but constables can and do provide patrol services in their precincts, as well as the contract deputies. If deputies are laid off, obviously there would be fewer uniforms on the street. But, as Jeebus correctly pointed out, no vital functions would be lost. There would be constables to serve paper, and the sheriff would provide patrols and detectives. Civil statutes also allow for private process servers, and many lawyers use them, since they are more responsive in emergency situations. They also cost more. But, the papers would still get served.

[TheNiche]

I don't understand the patrol for fee thing. My neighborhood organization does not have a contract of any sort with the constables, (nor, I;'m guesing, do the areas in the 2nd and 5th wards) but they are always in the neighborhood. If they don't have actual patrol districts and are for-hire only, then why do they have storefronts? Gulfgate might pay them, and they do have a storefornt there.

You have several overlapping neighborhood organizations. One of them, the management district, pays for the constable patrols. And it's a large management district that also encompasses 2nd Ward and Gulfgate.

[Jeebus]

I don't understand the patrol for fee thing. My neighborhood organization does not have a contract of any sort with the constables, (nor, I;'m guesing, do the areas in the 2nd and 5th wards) but they are always in the neighborhood. If they don't have actual patrol districts and are for-hire only, then why do they have storefronts? Gulfgate might pay them, and they do have a storefornt there. Everyone here knows to call the precinct 6 HQ instead of (or in addition to) HPD for non-emergencies because they respond quickly. I don't know if it's because Victor Trevino lives here and himself makes a point to be visible in the commuity (he has his own TV show after all), but his folks are just as much a law enforcment presence as city cops.

As Niche said: some is paying for it. We have a Constable patrol during the day that we share with our adjoining neighborhood. At night, they have opted for a second shift, but we have not. We still see the Constable in our neighborhood at night though because he has to pass our neighborhood to get to the night time contract neighborhood and pass back through us to get to any commercial services. Also, since both our neighborhoods are in the precinct, we benefit from other Constables passing by to check on their co-worker who patrols our area. We had a drop to almost 0% daytime burglaries once our contract started.

Red is correct in that the Constables have broader jurisdictional boundaries than just any contracts they hold. I was giving my opinion of where and why they patrol based on what our Constable told us his priorities were, and what I have seen anecdotally throughout the metro. But yes, they can patrol anywhere with in their precinct.

[Highway6]

One of the constables, Bill Bailey of Pct 8, laid himself off after letting go of 11 people and finding his budget still wasn't low enough.

http://blogs.chron.c...igns_in_pr.html

[crunchtastic]

You have several overlapping neighborhood organizations. One of them, the management district, pays for the constable patrols. And it's a large management district that also encompasses 2nd Ward and Gulfgate.

OK, that makes sense. I know that the civic groups and the super neighborhood don't but I forgot about the the mgmt district.