To serve as a constable in Arkansas, you must be elected to a two-year term in your township, complete the certification course set by the Arkansas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training (CLEST), keep up annual continuing education, pass separate firearms training and yearly qualification if you want to carry on duty, and wear the prescribed uniform and drive a properly marked vehicle whenever you perform official duties. The Arkansas constable requirements are set out primarily in Arkansas Code § 14-14-1314, and they tie real authority, like access to criminal-justice databases and the right to carry a firearm, to finishing the training.
Election and Two-Year Term
Qualified voters in each township elect one constable for a two-year term under Article 7, Section 47 of the Arkansas Constitution.1Justia Law. Arkansas Constitution Article 7 Section 47 – Constables – Term of Office The presiding judge of the county court issues the certificate of election, and the oath of office is endorsed on it. Arkansas Code § 14-14-1301 confirms the one-per-township structure and refers to the duties and qualifications set by law.2Justia Law. Arkansas Code 14-14-1301 – County, Quorum Court District, and Township Officers
Winning the election is only the start. It does not by itself let you query law enforcement databases or carry a firearm on duty. Those come from training, and the two-year term is short enough that you should start on the requirements right away.
CLEST Certification and Annual Training
A constable must satisfactorily complete the constable certification course provided by CLEST before accessing the Arkansas Crime Information Center (ACIC), the state’s criminal-justice database.3Justia Law. Arkansas Code 14-14-1314 – Constable Training Requirements – Uniform Requirements On the ACIC side, you also need to obtain an Originating Agency Identifier (ORI) and complete the federal Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Security Training.4Arkansas Department of Public Safety. Arkansas Crime Information Center FAQ An ORI is not inherited from the prior constable; a new constable has to contact ACIC directly.
After the initial course, you owe sixteen hours of CLEST-certified continuing education every year.3Justia Law. Arkansas Code 14-14-1314 – Constable Training Requirements – Uniform Requirements
Two narrow exceptions. Constables who were already in office on July 31, 2007, are exempt from CLEST certification and annual training if they had completed the Part-Time Law Enforcement Officer course (or higher) and the mandatory racial profiling courses.3Justia Law. Arkansas Code 14-14-1314 – Constable Training Requirements – Uniform Requirements And a full-time Arkansas law enforcement officer who retires and takes the constable job within six months of retirement can skip the standard refresher under CLEST Rule 1032, provided the officer had completed at least twenty-four hours of CLEST-certified training annually (including firearms qualification and racial profiling) and holds a non-forfeitable right to benefits under a state retirement plan.5Justia. Arkansas Administrative Code Agency 132, Rule 132.00.19-001 Anyone else elected or appointed after July 31, 2007, is on the standard path.
Firearms Training and Yearly Qualification
Being a constable does not automatically mean carrying a firearm on duty. If you want to be armed, you must first complete sixteen hours of firearms training, and then meet the firearm qualification standards for a law enforcement official every year.3Justia Law. Arkansas Code 14-14-1314 – Constable Training Requirements – Uniform Requirements Miss a yearly qualification and you cannot lawfully carry while performing constable duties until you pass again. This yearly qualification is separate from the sixteen hours of continuing education for ACIC access, so budget time for both.
Uniform Rules
Arkansas law requires constables to wear a prescribed uniform during official duties, and the specifics come from § 14-14-1314.3Justia Law. Arkansas Code 14-14-1314 – Constable Training Requirements – Uniform Requirements The standard duty and formal uniform include:
- A white shirt, required on formal occasions and permitted at any time.
- A constable identification patch on the left shoulder, with the top of the patch one inch below the shoulder seam.
- An American flag patch on the right shoulder, placed one inch below the shoulder seam.
- A name tag above the right pocket flap.
- A six-point star bearing the words “Arkansas Constable” on the left side of the shirt.
- Tan pants for regular duties, or blue or black pants on formal occasions.
For search or rescue operations, the uniform changes to an all-black shirt and black pants. The statute does not address whether the patches and star carry over to the search-and-rescue version.
Vehicle Requirements
A motor vehicle used for official constable duties must be equipped with emergency equipment and clearly marked with a six-point star and the words “Arkansas Constable.”3Justia Law. Arkansas Code 14-14-1314 – Constable Training Requirements – Uniform Requirements The statute uses the broad term “emergency equipment” without specifying the exact configuration. An unmarked personal vehicle will not meet the requirement when you are acting in your official capacity.
Who Pays for Training, Uniforms, and the Vehicle
Arkansas Code § 14-14-1314(d) says the county may pay reasonable expenses for the training, uniform, and vehicle requirements.3Justia Law. Arkansas Code 14-14-1314 – Constable Training Requirements – Uniform Requirements “May” is the operative word. Reimbursement is permitted, not required, and whether it happens turns on your quorum court’s budget. Ask the county about this before you start spending. Patches, a star, name tag, duty uniforms, vehicle markings, and emergency equipment add up, and you should know in advance what you will be covering yourself.