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Commission votes to abolish county constable office; second meeting required to finalize
Summary
The Coffee County Commission voted to abolish the county's elected constable office by a 13-4-1 tally and debated training, liability and the role of constables before and after the vote. The change requires a second consecutive favorable vote to take effect.
The Coffee County Board of Commissioners voted to abolish the county's office of constable by a recorded count of 13 yes, 4 no and 1 abstention. Commissioners said the move was prompted by concerns about county liability if an elected constable, acting outside a county employment framework, used force or incurred costs for which the county could be held responsible. Commissioners noted the change would require a second consecutive meeting vote to become final.
Commissioner Hirschman, who brought the motion, said the decision was aimed at reducing potential liability for county taxpayers. He said the county could be exposed if a constable fired a weapon while not functioning as a county employee.
Constables and supporters testified at the meeting. Jim Sanders, a local constable, read a passage from state law in public comment and said constables are “officers of the judicial system as prescribed by the state constitution” with powers and bond requirements under Tennessee Code Annotated Title 8, Chapter 10. Frank Guzman, a Wilson County constable and a member of the Middle Tennessee board of directors, told commissioners that 48 Tennessee counties have constables and described ongoing efforts to standardize training, including legislation discussed at the state level.
The discussion included training and insurance questions. Sanders and Guzman said constables receive or seek standardized training and can be covered by insurance and bond arrangements; supporters also said the office is frequently unpaid and provides community-level backup for law enforcement. Opponents emphasized county liability and the modern overlap of law-enforcement functions.
The commission vote on the motion to abolish the office passed 13-4-1. County officials and the meeting record noted that state law and local insurance questions remain relevant to any transition, and that the abolition must be approved again at a subsequent meeting to become effective.
The motion was introduced by Commissioner Hirschman and seconded by Commissioner Stubblefield. Supporters and opponents were invited to speak during public comment before the final vote.
