Are Constables A Liability, Or Crucial To Law Enforcement?

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Credit Courtesy of http://www.tennesseeconstable.com/

In many Tennessee counties, constables are a lot like regular police officers, but with a few major differences: They get paid very little, if anything, are required to have very little training, and don't have a superior.

Through the years, different states have given the office different powers, and some states have dropped the position altogether.

David Broome is a constable in Sequatchie County, TN. He's part of a long tradition of constables in the United States and Tennessee -- they've been part of U.S. law enforcement since the colonial period. And in rural Sequatchie County, the sheriff's department still very much depends on constables to keep the community safe.