Powers and duties of a Delaware Commissioned Constable include:

1. Work within the lawful duties of his or her employment to protect life and property and preserve peace and good order.
2. Exercise the same powers as peace officers and law-enforcement officers, including the power to direct, control, or regulate vehicle and pedestrian traffic, to protect life and property, while in the performance of the lawful duties of employment.
3. Execute all lawful orders, warrants and other processes directed to the constable by any court or judge of this State.
4. Notify the full-service police agency, having primary jurisdiction over the location under a constable’s scope of employment, upon the constable’s exercise of his or her lawful authority to make an arrest in the performance of his or her duties. It shall be the responsibility of the full-service police agency to undertake any necessary investigation and to comply with the reporting demands of the State Bureau of Identification.

Other legal information:

• Constable legal authority is derived from 24 Del.C. Ch. 56 and the Delaware Constable Board of Examiners. Constable jurisdiction is defined in the law as “except as otherwise provided by law or limited by the Board, the jurisdiction of each constable commissioned, shall extend throughout the State.” Commissioned Constables have law enforcement authority only when on-duty at their entity/employer locations, facilities, and vehicles used to transport patients, school students and others.
• Commissioned Constables are not covered under the Delaware Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights under 11 Del.C. Ch. 92.
• Constables may carry weapons/items including firearms, Conducted Electrical Weapons (tasers), handcuffs, O/C defense spray and batons if the entity/employer requires this as a condition of employment.  Specific weapon training is required.
• Upon appointment, Commissioned Constables are issued a Commission and must swear to an Oath. The constable shall, before acting or performing duties as a constable, take and subscribe, before any officer authorized by the laws of this State to administer oaths, the oath or affirmation prescribed by § 1 of Article XIV of the Constitution of Delaware. The oath or affirmation shall not be recorded at the recorder of deeds. Notarized Commissions must be on file (received) by Professional Licensing before a Constable can legally perform duties.
• The term of office for all constables shall be two (2) years and will expire on December 31^st of the calendar year when it expires. Upon expiration of a constable’s term of office, the constable may request the Board renew their commission. Approval for renewal shall be within the discretion of the Constable Board of Examiners.

Anyone who wishes to be commissioned as a Constable in Delaware, must meet and maintain the following requirements:

1. Must provide written documentation (Intent-to-Hire Letter), at the time of original application or renewal, from an entity/employer, stating the applicant is employed or has been offered employment with the employer, and the employer requires a commissioned constable.
2. Must be a minimum of 21 years of age.
3. Must not have been convicted of a felony.
4. Must not have been convicted of any misdemeanor within the last 7 years prior to the date of application, which involves a theft-related offense, drug offense, or offense involving moral turpitude, or any misdemeanor that, in the discretion of the Board, bears such a relationship to the performance of a commissioned constable as to disqualify the individual from receiving a commission; and, the individual has had no more than 2 misdemeanor convictions during the individual’s lifetime; and the misdemeanor convictions did not occur during the individual’s employment as a constable regulated under 24 Del.C. Ch. 56.
5. Anyone applying for commission under 24 Del.C. Ch. 56 shall not be issued a commission if they have any pending criminal charge(s) for any crimes listed under the Chapter.
6. Must not have been adjudicated delinquent for conduct as a juvenile, which if committed as adult would have constituted a felony.
7. Must not have been dishonorably discharged if the individual is a veteran of any branch of the armed forces/US Military. Applicants who served in the US Military must provide a copy of their DD214.
8. May not be a current sworn or civilian employee of any Delaware law-enforcement organization, as defined by the Police Officer Standards and Training Commission (POST), or current sworn or civilian employee of a law-enforcement organization in any other state or federal jurisdiction.
9. Must be fingerprinted and provide the required identification information and personal description to the State Bureau of Investigation for purposes of the Bureau obtaining a complete state and federal criminal background report.
10. Must submit to either the MMPI (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory) or the PAI (Personal Assessment Inventory) evaluation performed by a licensed psychologist who has knowledge of the requirements of the duties of the Constable position that the applicant is psychologically fit to function as a competent Constable. Proof that the evaluation has been completed shall be provided, with the initial application for constable commission, to the Professional Licensing Section unless there is a documented issue, in which case the complete evaluation will be provided for review by the Board.

Please note – the recruitment, interview, character, reference and other background processing, hiring, conditional hiring, hiring as a second-entity or other employment transactions are the sole responsibility of the hiring entity/employer.  Professional Licensing will conduct a criminal history background investigation once an individual is conditionally hired by the entity/employer. Constables are hired exclusively by an Entity/Employer and are not state of Delaware employees.

Individuals seeking employment as a commissioned constable or permission to attend a Delaware Constable Academy must FIRST obtain an “Intent-to-Hire” Letter from a Board approved public or private entity. Delaware State Police/Professional Licensing is not responsible for hiring constables.

The Entity will submit the “Intent-to-Hire” letter, and the individual will submit a Constable Commission Application to Professional Licensing (links for these forms are located in the Entity/Employer Resource section). The application and letter will then be evaluated by Professional Licensing based upon the individual meeting the items outlined in the Qualifications section of this website and prescribed in 24 Del.C. Ch. 56 & Administrative Code 2400.

Constable Employers are a mix of private and public entities including educational and healthcare institutions, patient transport services and others.  Attached is a link to current Delaware entities who employ commissioned constables.

Delaware Commissioned Constable ENTITY

Delaware law (24 Del.C. Ch. 56) allows qualified individuals to become Commissioned Constables within the state. The legal powers and law enforcement authority of a constable are granted to the individual constable. An Employer or Entity is an individual, person, nonprofit organization, the State, county, or a municipality who employs the individual constable.

There are over fifty (50+) Constable Entity Employers within Delaware, a majority being school districts, but Constables are also present in higher educational institutions, medical facilities, patient transport services and individual government entities. There are over four hundred (400+) Commissioned Constables within Delaware who are hired directly by these specific Entity/Employers.

Please note there are two (2) types of Constables in Delaware, Justice of the Peace Constables which are outlined in 10 Del.C.28 and appointed by the Chief Magistrate. Commissioned Constables are outlined in 24 Del.C.56. The Constable Board of Examiners and Delaware State Police Professional Licensing oversee Commissioned Constables under Title 24 only.

The Constable Board of Examiners will commission a Constable whose employer (entity) shows the proposed commission will be in aid and relief of full-service police agencies and is necessary to protect life and property in circumstances where full-service police agencies are unable to immediately assist.

An employer/entity in Delaware may request the Board of Examiners to commission Constables to be employed with their agency.  Outlined below is the process for an Entity/Employer to make this request to the Delaware Constable Board of Examiners:

1. Complete the EMPLOYER REQUEST TO BOARD OF EXAMINERS using the link below and submit to Delaware State Police Professional Licensing.
2. The Request will be processed by Professional Licensing and forwarded to the Delaware Constable Board of Examiners for review at the next available Board Meeting. The requesting employer is strongly encouraged to have a representative available at the Board Meeting so any detailed explanations or information can be provided in a public format.
3. The Board will Approve or Deny the Request based on requirements outlined in 24 Del.C.56.

EMPLOYER REQUEST TO BOARD OF EXAMINERS

Commissioned Constable – Requirements & Estimated Fees

Outlined below are requirements and estimated fees associated with hiring, training, annual In-Service for a Delaware Commissioned Constable:

New/Initial – Prior Law Enforcement

• Fingerprinting (IdentoGO): $105.00
• MMPI or PAI (Psychological evaluation) – under 5 years: determined by provider
• New Constable Commission: $200.00
• Admission Testing (Wilmington University): $
• Firearms Training & Certification (Armed only): determined by provider

New/Initial – Non-Prior Law Enforcement

• Fingerprinting (IdentoGO): $105.00
• MMPI or PAI (Psychological evaluation): determined by provider
•  New Constable Commission: $200.00
• Constable Academy: $1,600.00
• Firearms Training & Certification (Armed only): determined by provider
• Conducted Electrical Weapon (if required): determined by provider

Annual – All Commissioned Constables

• Annual In-Service Training: $100.00
• Firearms Training & Certification (Armed only): determined by provider

Every 2 years or as necessary – All Commissioned Constables

• Renewal Constable Commission (every 2 years): $100.00
• Handcuff, CEW, Baton, OC Re-certification: determined by provider

The above items are based on Board and legally mandated Commissioned Constable requirements but do not include any employer/entity requirements.

Individuals hired by a Constable Entity/Employer are designated as either Prior-Law Enforcement or Non-Prior Law Enforcement. This designation will determine the initial training requirements for the individual which are outlined below.

Prior-Law Enforcement – defined

Individuals with five (5) years of Law Enforcement experience in any jurisdiction who have successfully completed an organized police training program (academy) must meet the minimum training standards as established by the Board. Law Enforcement experience is fully outlined in the Delaware Constable Commission Application. Specific law enforcement training and service as a sworn officer is required. Training and service time must be verifiable.

Delaware Commissioned Constable Academy

Individuals with no prior law enforcement training and experience as defined above are required to attend the Delaware Commissioned Constable Academy which is conducted at a Board approved training institution.

Delaware Constable Academy Training is normally provided during the Spring semester (January -April) at Wilmington University and a Fall semester (September-October) at Delaware Technical & Community College. Reminder – an individual must FIRST be hired by a Board approved public or private entity to attend the academy. Please do not contact either training facility – you must first be hired by an entity employer.

The Constable Academy, administered through a Board approved facility, shall instruct applicants in the minimum training standards established by the Board. The Academy shall be a minimum of 180.5 hours (5 weeks), and consistent attendance is mandatory.  Applicants should understand the academy will consist of classroom training, physical training, defensive tactics and weapons qualifications including full exposure to oleoresin capsicum (pepper) spray.

Training topics will consist of, but are not limited to the following courses:

Introduction to law enforcement and constables; constitution and bill of rights; other police agencies/fire departments/ambulance jurisdictions; basic defensive driving; traffic investigations; criminal investigations; sex crimes; criminal code; handling person with disabilities; interventions with people suffering with mental health and substance abuse; civil disobedience; labor disputes (crowd control); active shooter; basic safe weapon handling, courtroom procedure and demeanor; cultural diversity and community relations; domestic violence; basic first aid; CPR; AED; NIMS 700; ICS 100; information systems – communications, report writing, DELJIS; interview/interrogation techniques; manual traffic control; juvenile procedures; laws of evidence and search and seizure; laws of arrest; police communication and crisis intervention; police discipline and ethics; baton/nightstick/chemical spray/handcuffing; officer survival/defensive techniques; patrol procedures; drug identification and controlled substances; canine; and 4th amendment. Applicants attending the Academy must take and pass the test with a minimum score of 75%.

Individuals outlined below must attend a Delaware Constable Academy:

• Individual with no prior Law Enforcement training and service
• Prior or Active US Military
• Prior or Active Corrections (Prison) employees, officers, guards, etc.
• Prior or Active Probation & Parole officers outside of Delaware

Individuals who were previously commissioned as a Delaware Commissioned Constable:

• Individuals who were previously commissioned as a Constable but have not been active for more than five (5) years must pass a comprehensive, multiple-choice examination of the minimum standards established by the Board to demonstrate their knowledge of the duties of a Constable.
• Individuals who were previously commissioned as a Constable but have been active within the last five (5) years will be commissioned on a “case-by-case basis.”

Individuals outlined below who are Prior Law Enforcement are generally exempt from the Constable Academy but are required to take Admission training:

• Individuals who have been approved by Professional Licensing as being Prior Law Enforcement must pass a comprehensive, multiple-choice examination of the minimum standards established by the Board to demonstrate their knowledge of the duties of a Constable.
• Individuals who have been Prior Law Enforcement with a service period of five (5) years or less must be presented to the Constable Board of Examiners to provide a decision on academy attendance.
• Individuals who have successfully completed training as a Delaware Probation & Parole Officer and completed at least five (5) years of contiguous service as the same with this agency must pass a comprehensive, multiple-choice examination of the minimum standards established by the Board to demonstrate their knowledge of the duties of a Constable.

Delaware Constable admission training for commissioned constables hired by a public or private entity and have been approved by Professional Licensing as Prior Law Enforcement and/or Prior Constable away from service is provided as needed during the year by Wilmington University.

Note – please do not contact either training facility – you must first be hired by an entity employer.

Delaware Code/Law & Administrative Regulations – 24 Del.C. Ch. 56

Individuals seeking to be commissioned as a Delaware Commissioned Constable are strongly encouraged to review the Code (Law) and Administrative Rules. Links to both are provided below.

Delaware Code

Rules and Regulations

Delaware Constable Board of Examiners

The Delaware Constable Board of Examiners meets several times during the year and are responsible to commission constables, review and revise regulations and conduct other industry related business as required under 24 Del.C. Ch. 56. The meetings are open to the public. Below is a link to the Public Meetings Calendar

Public Meetings Calendar

The Professional Licensing Section of the Delaware State Police is the administrative and enforcement arm of the Delaware Constable Board of Examiners.  The Section is responsible for conducting criminal and other background investigations regarding commissions or the renewal of a commission.

The Director of Professional Licensing shall have the power to suspend or revoke the commission of any individual issued a commission under 24 Del.C. Ch. 56 who violates the Chapter or the promulgated Rules and Regulations. The Director may issue an emergency suspension of any individual issued a commission who has been arrested where that arrest could result in the conviction of any misdemeanor or felony that violates the Chapter or the promulgated Rules and Regulations.

All commissioned constables must notify the Board via Professional Licensing immediately if their employment with the employer at the time of their original application or their renewal application is terminated. All employers that employ commissioned constables must notify the Board via Professional Licensing immediately if a constable in their employ is terminated.

Individual applicants and/or commissioned Constables will mainly interact with the entity which they are employed with however Professional Licensing contact information is provided below.

Delaware State Police – Professional Licensing Unit CONTACT

dsp-prolicense@delaware.gov or phone (302)739-5991

Delaware Commissioned Constables are required to complete annual In-Service training as outlined in Rules 9.3 – 9.3.3.

https://regulations.delaware.gov/AdminCode/title24/2400

Delaware Commissioned Constables are permitted by law and regulation to carry any of the items and weapons outlined below. The items/weapons must also be permitted for use by the Constable entity/employer.  Training for each item/weapon is outlined in the regulations and are the responsibility of the entity/employer and the constable.

• Firearm/Handgun – Rule 5.0
• Firearm/Rifle (must be approved by the Board) – Rule 7.0
• Baton (Asp) – Rule 6.0
• Inflammatory Agent Spray / Chemical Sprays / Defense Spray (OC) – Rule 6.0
• Handcuffs – Rule 6.0
• Conducted Electrical Weapon (CEW) / Taser – Rule 6.0

https://regulations.delaware.gov/AdminCode/title24/2400

Professional Licensing Firearms Instructors

Constable Oath & Commission

Upon appointment, the Constable Board of Examiners shall issue to each constable a commission and the constable so appointed shall, before acting or performing duties as a constable, take and subscribe, before any officer authorized by the laws of this State to administer oaths, the oath or affirmation prescribed by § 1 of Article XIV of the Constitution of Delaware. The oath or affirmation shall not be recorded at the recorder of deeds.  All Commissions must be notarized. Notarized Commissions must be on file (received by) Professional Licensing BEFORE a Constable can perform legal duties.

Prior Law Enforcement Constables who do not attend the academy swear to their Commission Oath by any officer authorized by Delaware law to administer oath. This is normally a notary and can be arranged by the Entity/Employer.

Non-Prior Law Enforcement Constables who successfully complete the Constable Academy will swear to their Oath and have it notarized at their commencement ceremony or meeting.

“I, (name), do proudly swear (or affirm) to carry out the responsibilities of the office of

Constable to the best of my ability, freely acknowledging that the powers of this office flow from the people I am privileged to represent. I further swear (or affirm) always to place the public interests above any special or personal interests, and to respect the right of future generations to share the rich historic and natural heritage of Delaware. In doing so I will always uphold and defend the Constitutions of my Country and my State, so help me God.”

Commission Renewal

Constables are appointed and renewed by the Constable Board of Examiners. The term of office for all constables shall be two (2) years and will expire on December 31^st of the calendar year when it expires. Upon expiration of a constable’s term of office, the constable may request that the Board renew their commission. Approval for renewal shall be within the discretion of the Board.

Constables are responsible to submit a Renewal Application to Professional Licensing no later than November 30^th of the calendar year their commission expires. While Entity Employers may assume this task, both the constable and the employer are responsible to ensure the renewal process is completed.

Provided below is a link to complete the Application

Constable Application

Commissioned Constable Termination

Commissioned Constables and their Entity Employers must notify the Board, via Professional Licensing immediately if their employment with the employer at the time of their original application or their renewal application is terminated.

Commissioned Constables wishing to work for more than one agency, must submit a New/Second Entity Application. All other requirements do not need to be submitted as they are already on file in the Professional Licensing Section.

Commissioned Constables currently employed with an approved entity may, with the approval of the Director, be commissioned to work with any other approved entity for the purpose of new or secondary employment as a constable. The constable will be allowed to work for the new entity upon such approval and receiving their new commission and identification card. Any approval must be affirmed and voted on by the Board at the next scheduled meeting.

Delaware State Police – Professional Licensing Unit CONTACT

dsp-prolicense@delaware.gov or phone (302)739-5991

Constable Application

– Commissioned Constable New/Renewal Application & Intent to Hire
Constable Application

– MMPI/PAI Proof of Evaluation
(Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory) or the PAI (Personal Assessment Inventory)
MMPI-PAI EVAL FORM

– Professional Licensing Certified Firearms Instructors
List of Approved Firearms Instructors

– Professional Licensing/Request to Change Weapon
Firearms Weapon Change Form

Constable Request to work 2^nd Entity
Request to Work for 2nd Entity Form

Constable Entity/Employer Contact Update
Employer Entity Contact Update Form

Please note effective as of January 5, 2026, Firearms Qualification forms will only be available to Approved Firearms Instructors. Consult with the Firearms Instructor for processing.