2005 Arizona Revised Statutes - Revised Statutes §22-136  Constable ethics committee; fund

A. A constable ethics committee is established consisting of the following voting members:

1. Two constables from counties with a population of less than one million persons who are appointed by the Arizona association of counties.

2. Two constables from counties with a population of one million or more persons who are appointed by the Arizona association of counties.

3. One justice of the peace who is appointed by the chief justice of the supreme court.

4. One county administrator or designee who is appointed by the county supervisors association.

5. One sheriff who is appointed by the governor.

6. One member of the public who is appointed by the governor.

7. One board member of the Arizona multihousing association who is appointed by the governor.

B. The committee shall annually elect a chairperson from among its members. The committee shall adopt a constable code of conduct that addresses attendance at mandatory training and rules of procedure.

C. Terms of the committee members are four years, except that the initial terms of two constables, the county administrator and the sheriff are two years. If a member ceases to hold the position that qualified the member for the appointment, the member's membership terminates and the appointing authority pursuant to subsection A of this section fills the vacancy for the unexpired term.

D. The committee shall hear and investigate written complaints from any person involving a constable's ethical or personal conduct. The committee shall attempt to remedy a constable's inappropriate behavior by:

1. Mediating.

2. Issuing warnings, reprimands or admonishments.

3. Instructing constables to take particular action to correct behavior or to take educational courses.

4. Urging a constable to retire from office.

E. If the committee is not satisfied with the remedies prescribed by subsection D of this section the committee shall submit a report to the county attorney's office in the county in which the conduct at issue occurred.

F. A constable ethics committee fund is established consisting of monies received from writ fees collected pursuant to section 11-445, subsection A, paragraph 17. The constable ethics committee shall administer the fund subject to legislative appropriation. On notice from the committee, the state treasurer shall invest and divest monies in the fund as provided in section 35-313, and monies earned from investment shall be credited to the fund. The fund is exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to lapsing of appropriations. The committee shall use:

1. Eighty per cent of the monies appropriated from the fund for constable training, equipment and related grants.

2. Twenty per cent of the monies appropriated from the fund for operating expenses of the committee.