Carter County Constable Robert C. “Bob” Carroll was elected to serve as president of the Tennessee Constable Association during its meeting on Saturday.
Carroll has been a constable for 36 years, serving nine terms as District 8 constable. He is the first TCA president from Carter County, and the first from East Tennessee in 20 years.
“It is an honor and a privilege to be able to serve as president,” Carroll said.
Carroll said he had thought of the possibility of serving as TCA president for years, to have an opportunity to have more input in the decisions made by the group. In order to be TCA president, candidates must be an active, serving constable; be working within the association’s bylaws; and be nominated by another members of the association.
Carroll pointed out it helped to be familiar with the other members of the association.
“You have to have a relationship with the other constables,” Carroll said. “It helps if they know what kind of person you are. They are putting their trust in you for two years to serve as their president.”
Carroll was one of four constables nominated this time. He tied with a constable from West Tennessee at first, but won the run-off election between the two.
Now as president, Carroll will be working with the TCA chief executive officer to handle issues across the state. Some of the president’s duties include scheduling training, upper-level decision making and getting the word out to other constables about new state laws. Also, if any problems arose involving a Tennessee constable, it would be up to the president to investigate and find a solution.
Having the TCA president in East Tennessee means that the president will be able to be more involved in the monthly meetings the association holds. Carroll explained that because the association’s CEO lives in Kingsport the monthly meetings are held there.
“When the president was from West Tennessee, he could not attend the meetings to voice his concerns or give input,” Carroll said.
As president, Carroll said his priority would be to improve communication and working relationships between the Tennessee constables and other law enforcement agencies in the state.
“My priority is to sit down with the sheriffs from around the state and talk to them about what the TCA can do to make the working relationship better,” Carroll said. “What can we do to provide more services and what problems can we help with? It gives us a place to start.”
Carroll said his new title would not take away from his service to the residents of the 8th District.
“Just because I got this job does not mean they will see less of me,” he said. “I am still there for them. The 8th District is my No. 1 priority.”
Carroll wasn’t the only Carter County constable to be elected to a position in the TCA. Fifth-district constable Mark Carrier was elected to the board of directors.
“Carter County gained two officers to the TCA,” Carroll said.