History of the Texas Constable
The Constitution of the Republic of Texas (1836) provided for the election in each county of a sheriff and "a sufficient number of constables." During the ten years of the republic's existence, thirty-eight constables were elected in twelve counties, with the largest number (thirteen) in Harrisburg County, later renamed Harris County.
Court records indicate that violent crime was rare in the republic, except when horse or cattle thieves entered Texas from Arkansas or Louisiana; most indictments were for non-lethal crimes such as illegal gambling or assaults resulting from fights or scuffles.
Shortly after Texas became a state, an act passed by the legislature specified that the constable should be "the conservator of the peace throughout the county," adding that "it shall be his duty to suppress all riots, routs, affrays, fighting, and unlawful assemblies, and he shall keep the peace, and shall cause all offenders to be arrested, and taken before a justice of the peace." Constables were the most active law-enforcement officials in many counties during the early statehood of Texas.
The beginning of the Civil War saw the constables' role, as well as their number, dwindle dramatically. Some were absorbed into the Confederate Army and by the end of the war, Texas constables were mostly a thing of the past. In an effort to decentralize control over state government, the Texas Constitution of 1876 mandated that constables would once again be elected at a precinct level.
Constable Henry Metzler
1905-1906
Constable Max Metzler
1935-1940
Harris County Constables in Precinct 5
Earliest county records indicate that the first Constable over Harris County Precinct 5 was C. Bolte, elected to office in 1879. Since this time, 23 Constables have led the department, the latest being Constable Terry Allbritton, taking office in 2025. Along this line of leaders, there have been 3 Constables whose sons had gone on to serve as Constable over Precinct 5 as well. R.E. Sutton and his son J.W. Sutton, Henry Metzler and his son Max Metzler, and Fritz Theis and his son Allie Theis. Constable Allie Theis also holds the distinction of being the longest serving Pct. 5 Constable with 31 years in office.
In the early 1900's Precinct 5's jurisdiction extended into the Tomball area. The first station, along with a jailhouse, was located in a tin building. In 1935, Constable Max Metzler helped to procure the new jail and courthouse located at 211 W. Market St. in Tomball. It is unclear if this building actually housed the Precinct 5 Constable's Office as well, and conflicting records indicate that the department's command station might have been located in nearby Rose Hill. When jurisdictional lines were re-drawn, however, both of these locations became part of another precinct.
Constable Fritz Theis
1912-1916
Constable Allie Theis
1941-1972
(Longest serving Pct. 5 Constable)
Past Precinct 5 Patches, Badges, and Uniforms
Precinct 5 Constables
Constable C. Bolte
1879 - 1885Constable R.E. Sutton
1886 - 1891Constable J.W. Sutton
1892 - 1895Constable Jacob Michael
1896 - 1904Constable Henry Metzler
1905 - 1906Constable William Peters
1907 - 1908Constable Frank Kuehn
1908 - 1909Constable Fritz Treichel
1909 - 1911Constable Fritz Theis
1912 - 1916Constable Jason Engle
1917 - 1918Constable H. Henricks
1919 - 1926Constable Thomas Carol
1927 - 1930Constable William Rudel
1931 - 1934Constable Max H. Metzler
1935 - 1940Constable Allie W. Theis
1941 - 1972Constable J.C. Bolton
1973 - 1974Constable Ralph Franz
1974 - 1976Constable Tracy Maxon
1977 - 1984Constable Steve Radack
1985 - 1989Constable Glen Cheek
1990 - 2007Constable Phil Camus
2008 - 2016Constable Ted Heap
2017 - 2024Constable Terry Allbritton
2025 - Present
Harris County Precinct 5 Today
At one time, Precinct 5 was a wide and sparsely populated area. The ranches and farms that existed more than 100 years ago have given way to densely populated neighborhoods, parks, and businesses. Today, the Harris County Constable's Office Precinct 5 is one of the largest constable departments in the country. Spanning an area of over 300 square miles, it covers all of west Harris County and is home to more than 1 million residents.
In 2001, development began for the Energy Corridor, a seven-mile stretch of corporate buildings straddling Interstate 10 and located in the heart of Precinct 5. In the years since, community growth in this area has been unprecedented. The growth that this department has experienced during the same period has been equally unprecedented. Once limited to basic patrol functions with fewer than 40 sworn deputies, the Precinct 5 Constable's Office has grown substantially, not only in size but also in capability.
Over 450 sworn deputies, with an additional 50 civilian support staff, now serve the residents of this precinct. Combining state-of-the-art technologies that provide capabilities on land, in water, and in the air, with advanced training in numerous fields, Precinct 5 has grown into its role as a major metropolitan law enforcement agency. But it's not just the capabilities of the department that make it what it is; it's also the long-standing reputation of professionalism and commitment to duty. Because of these factors, the Harris County Constable's Office Precinct 5 has earned its place as one of the most respected law enforcement agencies in the state of Texas.
Our Mission
Our Mission is to uphold the Constitution of the United States and of the State of Texas. To enforce the laws, keep the peace, and to serve and protect the citizens of Harris County Precinct 5.