When William Penn settled the territory known as Pennsylvania, he created the governmental framework including law makers, judges, and enforcers of the law which is still in effect today. Sheriff’s and Constables were given the task of keeping the peace and enforcing the laws written. They were the first law enforcement officers (now aka police) in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The first unelected police force in Pennsylvania was created in Philadelphia in 1797 with the night watch to assist the constable along with two daytime police officers given powers of the constable to carry out their duties. This is where the term ex-officio constable comes from. The term simply means “unofficial” or “in the capacity of”. One year later York, Pennsylvania also started its unofficial police agency. York Police were established via a town meeting on February 24th, 1798. A nightly watch was established in 1803 and eight watchman patrolled the streets under the oversight of the borough High Constable. Borough reports referred to him as “High Constable and “Chief of Police” interchangeably, thus making the constable the first person on record to hold the title of Police Chief in Pa. In 1833 Philadelphia combined the day police and Nightwatch into one entity. Pennsylvania legislature authorized the appointment of a sufficient police force for the Borough of York in 1865. In 1887 York became a city of the third class and the York City Police Department has been in existence ever since.
This was the start of municipal police and government employed officers throughout the Commonwealth. Other municipalities began utilizing paid police departments to supplement elected law enforcement and municipal police departments have gained widespread acceptance as the standard in many municipalities across the commonwealth. Pa legislature eventually and still today recognizes governmental employed police officers as ex-officio constables, granting them the power of the constable to carry out the duties of their employment.
In 1905 by executive order, Pennsylvania Governor Samuel W. Pennypacker created the Pennsylvania State Police giving them the powers of the Constable so they could assist elected law enforcement in maintaining peace and order after the Great Anthracite Strike caused a disruption of violence causing a nationwide shortage of coal. They were made up of officers employed to the position rather than elected. To find out more check out the link under the history tab title Pennsylvania State Police History.
Today, Police in Pennsylvania are made up of multiple types and agencies including the following:
Sheriffs
Constables
County Detectives
Game Wardens
State Troopers
Special Police
Municipal police
Working together to protect communities and maintain law and order.