Reining in some Pa. constables is a problem

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The head of Pennsylvania’s judicial system, Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald Castille, sees the state’s constable system as a medieval remnant that could benefit from reform.

Yet his own court has determined constables cannot be under the control of the judiciary, so any change will have to come from the Legislature.

In an interview, the chief justice said he believes most of their duties could be performed by private individuals rather than armed law officers, but warned, “everything has a cost to it.”

The Associated Press found widespread agreement that the constable system remains wide open to abuse by armed constables who operate with minimal training and little oversight. In the 10 years since prosecutors unsuccessfully tried to get the Legislature to reform the constable system, the AP found, problems have persisted, with constables involved in dozens of cases of misconduct.

For more on this story, please see Friday’s Vindicator or Vindy.com.