East Fork Constable Paul Gilbert talks about 30 years in office at his 2013 swearing in. Two terms later he's decided to retire.
By 1908, East Fork was the only constable left until 1948, when a Tahoe Township constable was reinstated. That lasted until 2006, when it the Tahoe office was abolished, and longtime East Fork Constable Paul Gilbert took over both offices.
On Thursday, Douglas County commissioners will hear the first reading of a measure to eliminate the constable’s office altogether.
Gilbert, who is Douglas County’s longest-serving elected official, won the office in 1982.
Just three years before he was elected to the office, county commissioners debated eliminating it all together.
They made it clear in 1979 that they preferred the constable to serve papers and handle other duties.
With Peace Officers’ Standards and Training, Gilbert can enforce the law, and has for many years around the Douglas County Judicial and Law Enforcement Center.
But with Gilbert’s announcement he’s retiring after nearly 40 years in office, it’s not a bad time to at least explore eliminating the position.
Because of Gilbert’s POST certification, he would be a hard act to follow for anyone who wasn’t already in law enforcement, which limits the candidate pool.
A similar ordinance was approved 3-2 on Feb. 8 for the Incline Village constable by Washoe County commissioners. The difference being Washoe County didn’t bother asking whether Incline Constable Hans Keller was ready to retire. That’s a horrible way to run a railroad.
We expect there might be some pushback on eliminating the constable’s position. That’s why ordinances undergo two readings, so people can express their concerns.
Whatever the result, we hope that everyone recognizes the four decades of service Gilbert has provided to Douglas County and go out of their way to thank him. We know we do.
