What is the difference between a policeman and a constable?

snuiteke

A constable does not have as much jurisdiction or authority as a police officer or sheriff. They are keepers of the peace. http://www.chacha.com/question/what-is-the-difference-between-a-police-officer-and-a-constable http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Police_officer Feb 18 10, 10:59 PM

Baloo55th

That may apply in the USA. In the UK, a constable is the lowest rank of police officer, abbreviated to PC (or DC if in the plain clothes CID). (Next up is sergeant, then inspector.) All ranks are police officers. The top rank is Chief Constable, reflecting that all the officers have the same powers of arrest, etc, and that the ranking system is merely a signifying of administrative powers and experience/knowledge. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constable Feb 19 10, 5:50 AM

star_gazer

Most constables in modern jurisdictions are law enforcement officers; in the United Kingdom, Commonwealth of Nations and some European countries, a constable is the lowest rank of police officer, while in the United States a constable is generally an elected peace officer with lesser jurisdiction than a sheriff. However, in the Channel Islands a constable is an elected office-holder at the parish level. Historically, a constable could also be someone in charge of the defence of a castle. Even today, there is a Constable of the Tower of London. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constable Feb 19 10, 7:55 AM