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Connétables orconstables (Jèrriais:Connétabl'ye) are the civic heads of the twelveparishes of Jersey and tenparishes of Guernsey. TheConnétable is grounded inNorman customary law.[1] The structure, powers and responsibilities of the role differ between the islands, reflecting their different political histories.
Each of the 12parishes elects a Connétable.
In the parish, the Connétable presides over the Parish Assembly (l'assemblée paroissiale), which sets the rates (land tax), elects various officers, votes on applications for liquor licenses, names roads, and authorises contracts to be entered into by the parish.[2]
The Connétable is also head of the parish's honorary police force.[1][3]
Each Connétable is, by reason of that office, a member of theStates Assembly.[4]
In Jersey, eachparish elects aConnétable at general elections to run the parish and also represent the parish in the legislature, theStates Assembly.[1]
At parish-level, the constable presides over theRoads Committee, the Conseil Paroissial (except St. Helier) andparish assemblies. The twelve constables also collectively sit as the Comité des Connétables.[1][5] The constable is the titular head of the Honorary Police. With theRoads Inspectors, Roads Committee and other officers, the constable of each parish also carries out thevisites du branchage twice a year.[1]
The origins of theConnétable are believed to be military and the position is recorded as early as 1462. The office is unique to the island, being no parallel office in England or mainland Normandy, thoughVictor Hugo believed the office to of English origin, perhaps a version of the Englishmayor.[1]
InGuernsey, eachparish elects two constables, the senior constable and the junior constable. Persons elected generally serve a year as junior and then senior constable. The senior constable presides over the Douzaine that runs the parish. The constables are responsible for enforcing the decisions of the parish including thebranchage (summer hedge-cutting).
InSark, the connétable (or constable) is the senior of two police officers and police administrator and thevingtenier is the junior police officer.
