Chapter 509 | Constables

Section 509.01 | Designation of police constables.

• Effective: January 1, 2004
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 490 - 124th General Assembly

(A) As used in this section, "felony" has the same meaning as in section 109.511 of the Revised Code.

(B) Subject to division (C) of this section, the board of township trustees may designate any qualified persons as police constables and may provide them with the automobiles, communication systems, uniforms, and police equipment that the board considers necessary. Except as provided in division (C) of this section, police constables designated under this division, who have been awarded a certificate attesting to the satisfactory completion of an approved state, county, or municipal police basic training program, as required by section 109.77 of the Revised Code, may be removed or suspended only under the conditions and by the procedures in sections 505.491 to 505.495 of the Revised Code. Any other police constable shall serve at the pleasure of the township trustees. In case of removal or suspension of a police constable by the board of township trustees, that police constable may appeal the decision of the board to the court of common pleas of the county to determine the sufficiency of the cause of removal or suspension. The police constable shall take the appeal within ten days of written notice to the police constable of the decision of the board. The board may pay each police constable, from the general funds of the township, the compensation that the board by resolution prescribes for the time actually spent in keeping the peace, protecting property, and performing duties as a police constable, including duties as an ex officio deputy bailiff of a municipal court pursuant to section 1901.32 of the Revised Code and duties as a ministerial officer of a county court. The police constable shall not be paid fees in addition to the compensation allowed by the board for services rendered as a police constable, including services as an ex officio deputy bailiff of a municipal court pursuant to section 1901.32 of the Revised Code and as a ministerial officer of a county court. All constable fees provided for by section 509.15 of the Revised Code, if due for services rendered while the police constable performing those services is being compensated as a police constable for that performance, shall be paid into the general fund of the township.

(C)(1) The board of township trustees shall not designate a person as a police constable pursuant to division (B) of this section on a permanent basis, on a temporary basis, for a probationary term, or on other than a permanent basis if the person previously has been convicted of or has pleaded guilty to a felony.

(2)(a) The board of township trustees shall terminate the employment of a police constable designated under division (B) of this section if the police constable does either of the following:

(i) Pleads guilty to a felony;

(ii) Pleads guilty to a misdemeanor pursuant to a negotiated plea agreement as provided in division (D) of section 2929.43 of the Revised Code in which the police constable agrees to surrender the certificate awarded to the police constable under section 109.77 of the Revised Code.

(b) The board shall suspend from employment a police constable designated under division (B) of this section if the police constable is convicted, after trial, of a felony. If the police constable files an appeal from that conviction and the conviction is upheld by the highest court to which the appeal is taken or if the police constable does not file a timely appeal, the board shall terminate the employment of that police constable. If the police constable files an appeal that results in that police constable's acquittal of the felony or conviction of a misdemeanor, or in the dismissal of the felony charge against the police constable, the board shall reinstate that police constable. A police constable who is reinstated under division (C)(2)(b) of this section shall not receive any back pay unless that police constable's conviction of the felony was reversed on appeal, or the felony charge was dismissed, because the court found insufficient evidence to convict the police constable of the felony.

(3) Division (C) of this section does not apply regarding an offense that was committed prior to January 1, 1997.

(4) The suspension from employment, or the termination of the employment, of a police constable under division (C)(2) of this section shall be in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.

Section 509.02 | Bond.

• Effective: March 20, 2019
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 291 - 132nd General Assembly

Except as otherwise provided in section 3.061 of the Revised Code, each constable, before entering upon the discharge of official duties, shall give bond to the state in a sum of not less than five hundred nor more than two thousand dollars, conditioned for the faithful and diligent discharge of official duties, and with sureties resident of the township. The amount of the bond and its sureties shall be approved by the board of township trustees. The bond shall be deposited with the township fiscal officer.

Section 509.04 | Parking enforcement unit.

• Effective: July 13, 1990
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 174 - 118th General Assembly

(A) The board of township trustees may establish, by resolution, a parking enforcement unit within the office of a township constable, and provide for the regulation of parking enforcement officers. The board of township trustees shall appoint a police constable as executive head of the parking enforcement unit, who shall make all appointments and removals of parking enforcement officers, subject to any general rules prescribed by the board of township trustees by resolution, and shall prescribe rules for the organization, training, administration, control, and conduct of the parking enforcement unit. The executive head of the parking enforcement unit may appoint parking enforcement officers who agree to serve for nominal compensation, and persons with physical disabilities may receive appointments as parking enforcement officers.

(B) The authority of the parking enforcement officers shall be limited to the enforcement of section 4511.69 of the Revised Code and any other parking laws specified in the resolution creating the parking enforcement unit. Parking enforcement officers shall have no other powers.

(C) The training the parking enforcement officers shall receive shall include instruction in general administrative rules and procedures governing the parking enforcement unit, the role of the judicial system as it relates to parking regulation and enforcement, proper techniques and medthods relating to the enforcement of parking laws, human interaction skills, and first aid.

Section 509.05 | Powers and duties of police constables.

• Effective: September 3, 1986
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 74 - 116th General Assembly

In addition to the county sheriff, constables shall be ministerial officers of the county court in all cases in their respective townships, and in criminal cases, they shall be such officers within the county. They shall apprehend and bring to justice felons and disturbers of the peace, suppress riots, and keep and preserve the peace within the county. They may execute all writs and process, in criminal cases, throughout the county in which they reside, and in which they were elected or appointed. If a person charged with the commission of a crime or offense flees from justice, any constable of the county wherein such crime or offense was committed shall pursue and arrest such fugitive in any other county of the state and convey him before the county court of the county where such crime or offense was committed.

Such constables shall serve and execute all warrants, writs, precepts, executions, and other process directed and delivered to them, and shall do all things pertaining to the office of constable.

The authority of a constable in serving any process, either civil or criminal, and in doing his duties generally shall extend throughout the county in which he is appointed, and in executing and serving process issued by a judge of the county court, he may exercise the same authority and powers over goods and chattels, and the persons of parties, as is granted to a sheriff or coroner, under like process issued from courts of record.

A constable may participate, as the director of an organized crime task force established under section 177.02 of the Revised Code or as a member of the investigatory staff of such a task force, in an investigation of organized criminal activity in any county or counties in this state under sections 177.01 to 177.03 of the Revised Code.

Section 509.06 | Aid of sheriff.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

Constables, marshals, chiefs of police, and other police officers, in discharging their duties, may call the sheriff or a deputy sheriff to their aid in state cases.

Section 509.07 | Return of process.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

Each constable shall, at the proper office and on the proper return day, make due return of all process directed and delivered to him. If the judgment upon which such constable has an execution is docketed in the court of common pleas, appealed, or stayed, on notice to return the execution, he shall state such fact on the execution.

Section 509.08 | Time of receiving writ.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

Each constable, on the receipt of any writ or other process, except subpoenas, shall note thereon the time of receiving it. He shall also state in his return on such writ or process the time and manner of executing it.

Section 509.09 | Return of not found.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

No constable shall make a return on any process of "not found," as to any defendant, unless he has been to the usual place of residence of the defendant at least once, if such defendant has a residence in the county.

Section 509.10 | Arrest on view or warrant - keep the peace.

• Effective: November 6, 1959
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 571 - 103rd General Assembly

Each constable shall apprehend, on view or warrant, and bring to justice, all felons, disturbers, and violators of the criminal laws of this state, and shall suppress all riots, affrays, and unlawful assemblies which come to his knowledge, and shall generally keep the peace in his township.

Section 509.11 | Copy of process to be left with jailer.

• Effective: February 14, 1967
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 2 - 107th General Assembly

When it becomes the duty of the constable to take a person to the county jail, such constable shall deliver to the sheriff or jailer a certified copy of the execution, commitment, or other process, whereby he holds such person in custody, and shall return the original to the judge who issued it. Such copy is sufficient authority to the sheriff or jailer to keep the prisoner in jail until discharged.

Section 509.12 | Payment of moneys.

• Effective: November 6, 1959
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 571 - 103rd General Assembly

A constable shall pay over to the party entitled thereto, all moneys received by such constable in his official capacity, if demand is made by such party, his agent, or attorney, at any time before the constable returns the writ upon which he has received such moneys. If the money is not paid over by that time, the constable shall pay it to the judge of the county court when he returns the writ.

Section 509.13 | Forfeiture.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

Constable shall be liable to a ten per cent forfeiture upon the amount of damages for which judgment may be entered against them, for failing to make return, making a false return, or failing to pay over money collected or received by them in their official capacity. Such judgment must include, in addition to the damages and costs, the forfeiture provided by this section.

Section 509.15 | Fees of constables.

• Effective: May 22, 2012
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 268 - 129th General Assembly

The following fees and expenses shall be taxed as costs, collected from the judgment debtor, and paid to the general fund of the appropriate township or district as compensation due for services rendered by township constables or members of the police force of a township police district or joint police district:

(A) Serving and making return of each of the following:

(1) Order to commit to jail, order on jailer for prisoner, or order of ejectment, including copies to complete service, one dollar for each defendant named therein;

(2) Search warrant or warrant of arrest, for each person named in the writ, five dollars;

(3) Writ of attachment of property, except for purpose of garnishment, twenty dollars;

(4) Writ of attachment for the purpose of garnishment, five dollars;

(5) Writ of possession or restitution, twenty dollars;

(6) Attachment for contempt, for each person named in the writ, three dollars;

(7) Writ of replevin, twenty dollars;

(8) Summons and writs, subpoena, summons of jurors, and notice to garnishee, including copies to complete service, three dollars for each person named therein;

(9) Execution against property or person, eighty cents, and six per cent of all money thus collected;

(10) Any other writ, order, or notice required by law, for each person named therein, including copies to complete service, three dollars for the first name and fifty cents for each additional name.

(B) Mileage for the distance actually and necessarily traveled in serving and returning any of the preceding writs, orders, and notices, fifty cents for the first mile and for each additional mile, twenty cents;

(C) For attending a criminal case during the trial or hearing and having charge of prisoners, each case, two dollars and fifty cents, but, when so acting, such constable shall not be entitled to a witness fee if called upon to testify;

(D) For attending civil court during a jury trial, each case, two dollars;

(E) For attending civil court during a trial without jury, each case, one dollar and fifty cents;

(F) The actual amount paid solely for the transportation, meals, and lodging of prisoners, and for the moving and storage of goods and the care of animals taken on any legal process, such expense shall be specifically itemized on the back of the writs and sworn to;

(G) For summoning and swearing appraisers, each case, two dollars;

(H) For advertising property for sale, by posting, taken on any legal process, one dollar;

(I) For taking and making return of any bond required by law, eighty cents.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this section, if any comparable fee or expense specified under section 311.17 of the Revised Code is increased to an amount greater than that set forth in this section, the board of township trustees, board of trustees of the township police district, or joint police district board, as appropriate, may require that the amount taxed as costs under this section equal the amount specified under section 311.17 of the Revised Code.