§ 14-15-1101 — Peacekeeping duties and authority - Neglect of duty

(a) Each constable shall be a conservator of the peace in his or her township and shall suppress all riots, affrays, fights, and unlawful assemblies, and shall keep the peace and cause offenders to be arrested and dealt with according to law. (b) If any offense cognizable before a district court in his or her township is committed in his or her presence, the constable shall immediately arrest the offender and cause him or her to be dealt with according to law. (c) Nothing in subsection (a) or subsection (b) of this section shall be construed to deprive a constable of authority to serve warrants, summons, writs, and other process as provided by law. (d) Nothing in this section shall prevent the fresh pursuit by a constable of a person suspected of having committed a supposed felony in his or her township, though no felony has actually been committed, if there are reasonable grounds for so believing. As used in this section, "fresh pursuit" shall not necessarily imply instant pursuit, but pursuit without unreasonable delay. (e) If it comes to the knowledge of any constable that an offense mentioned in this section has been committed in his or her township, it shall be the duty of the constable to present the offender to a district court in order that the offender may be arrested and brought to trial as prescribed by law. (f) If a constable fails, refuses, or neglects to perform the duties imposed upon him or her by this section, he or she shall be deemed guilty of a violation, and upon conviction, by indictment in the circuit court, shall be fined not less than five dollars ($5.00) nor more than one hundred dollars ($100).

Legislative History

Added by Act 2023, No. 177,§ 18, eff. 8/1/2023.