Washoe County commissioners to abolish the position of constable in Incline Village

INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. - The Washoe County Commissioners today held a Hearing to abolish the office of the constable in Incline Village.

They heard a first reading of an ordinance to amend the Washoe County Code to abolish the position. Other constables’ offices in Washoe County were abolished in 1998 as their roles in civil cases became obsolete with the expansion of local law enforcement.

Per a staffing memo from the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO), most duties of the constable are routinely conducted by WCSO, including executing warrants, arresting offenders, and issuing citations. The constable also collaborates with the Incline Village Justice Court to monitor and administer substance tests to pre-trial defendants, and conduct civil services such as evictions, temporary protection orders, and red flag legislation. The memo stated that these duties can be assumed by the Sheriff’s Office.

Hans Keller is the current constable. He has served the Incline Village since 1996. He was deputy constable from 1996 to 2011, the chief bailiff for Incline Justice Court from 2011 to 2015. Constable Keller was elected and sworn in on January 5, 2015, and re-elected without opposition in 2018.

As a first reading, there was no vote required from Commissioners, and the code amendment will be heard at a second hearing on Feb. 8, and if approved at that point, the constable’s office would be eliminated at the end of the Keller's current term, Jan. 2, 2023.