Constable

A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions. Historically, the title comes from the Latin comes stabuli (count of the stable) and originated from the Eastern Roman Empire; originally, the constable was the officer responsible for keeping the horse of a lord or monarch. The title was imported to the monarchies of medieval Europe, and in many countries developed into a high military rank and great officer of State (e.g. the Constable of France). Most constables in modern jurisdictions are law enforcement officers; in the United Kingdom, Commonwealth of Nations and some Europe countries, a constable is the lowest rank of police officer, while in the United States a constable is generally an elected peace officer with lesser jurisdiction than a sheriff. However, in the Channel Islands a constable is an elected office-holder at the parish level. Historically, a constable... full article at wikipedia