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• Three towns add to duties of constables, aid from deputies

By Joe Winter, Staff writer

With growth creating a need for new services, the three towns that ring Hudson have dealt in different ways to expand the role of constables, or contract with the St. Croix County Sheriff's Department for additional duties.

The town of Troy recently went to a three-tiered system of animal control officer who works with humane societies, constables who enforce town ordinances, and sheriff's deputies who are given the power to enforce both town and county ordinances. The St. Croix County Board last week passed a "permissive" ordinance that provides statutory authority.

The town of Hudson gave its constable - now called a town compliance officer - an assistant when the main one is away, broader duties to enforce all town ordinances that are not zoning matters, rather than just be a dog catcher. The main constable will be paid about $1,300 a month, and other police-type duties could be added as this is a "work in progress," said chairperson Bob Waxon.

Clerk Rita Horne says that in as little as five years, the town could have its own police force if not annexed by the city of Hudson, and if the residents vote to have one.

At a time about two years ago when the town of St. Joseph didn't have anyone in the constable position, the Town Board contracted with the sheriff's department to handle those services. A resident is paid to handle their animal control needs, and bring animals to an area humane society.

"Some people, specifically the residents of Troy Burne (golf course and housing development), asked that a peddler's ordinance be put in place and enforced," said Ray Knapp, chairman of the town of Troy.

"As we get more cluster developments, people think they may be more attractive to peddlers who walk from door to door," he said, adding that these may be more susceptible than five-acre lots.

Constables will enforce the peddler ordinance, patrol the town's three parks with scheduled checks each day, and close an area called Pemble's access three days a week. "(They will) manage situations of possible intoxication, but do not detain," the job description says.

"For any obvious alcohol present, ask the person(s) to remove it to their vehicles. Second level is confiscation and dumping at this site (on weekdays). Third level is issuing a citation, while fourth level is calling a sheriff's dispatcher."

Constables will check that boat trailers using the St. Croix River have current launch stickers, or that a daily fee has been paid, and if not issue citations, or fee envelopes prior to July 4.

Knapp said that he doesn't see a situation where a constable would ever carry a gun, although part of the duty is to resolve conflict in testy situations, and they remain in continual contact with a sheriff's dispatcher in high-risk situations.

Constables at the time of the revision, who are elected rather than appointed, did not have a law enforcement background, Knapp said. "They are concerned citizens."

Under a contract with Troy, deputies will enforce parking and watch speed limits, especially in congested areas that are specified by the Town Board, as part of a law enforcement budget that is almost $25,000.

The town of Hudson sees the conflict resolution as a big part of the compliance officer's job, and some of these may come from animal control issues that grow out of hand.

"It's not just the same people," Waxon said, adding that as the town's population has surpassed 7,000, there are always new residents from the Twin Cities who think they can just let dogs run free. Some also are unaware of restrictions on all kinds of exotic animals, from large birds to livestock, that may not fit with a residential setting.

The Hudson Town Board voted to pay to outfit their compliance officer with protective clothing and gear not far removed from that of a deputy, and identification badge or pin.

The compliance officer, which is now an appointed post, is currently Hudson police officer Jeff Knopps, and that helps because of such a person's knowledge of official procedure, which can help make citations stick in court.

The Town Board also studied the combining of constable services with Troy, or contracting with deputies to create, for a few hours a month, speeding patrols in a few specific areas such as Trout Brook Road, which has official rustic status and attracts speeders and danger, Waxon said.

Under the contract in St. Joseph, in its second year, sheriff's deputies do additional patrolling in the town, up to the amount specified in the budget, currently $8,000. That allows the leeway to do more of it in the summer, when the need is greater, and less when winter weather means people in the town are driving fewer miles.

The Town Board didn't specify where the extra patrolling should take place, leaving that up to the department, but it now includes time on the town's less-traveled roads.

"Now it's not just on the county roads," said St. Joe Chairperson Theresa Johnson. "I see them at times where I am, and I live on a dead-end road."

The deputies enforce town ordinances, monitor traffic and speeders, and issue tickets for parking violations. They also keep things orderly at a road along Perch Lake, a popular recreational area that sometimes gets congested because of people loitering.

Johnson said she is very happy with the way the arrangement with the sheriff's department is working out.

Joe Winter can be reached at jwinter@rivertowns.net