Appointed Constable Hopes to Retain Position After Election

By Adam Brown

Sports Editor

adam.brown@hottytoddy.com

Hotty Toddy News will be running stories about local candidates in the upcoming Nov. 3 election throughout the rest of the week. Today we focus on the special election for Central Constable. Candidates are listed in alphabetical order for fairness.

When former Lafayette County Constable Jody Mayfield retired in December 2019, the Lafayette County Board of Supervisors appointed Chris “Snuffy” Smith to fulfill the remaining year on Mayfield’s term. That term ends Dec. 30 and now Smith is running to retaining his position as constable against Kenneth Drewrey.

Constables serve as a licensed peace officer and perform various duties such as serving warrants and civil papers like subpoenas and temporary restraining orders and serving as bailiffs for the Justice Court.

Kenneth Drewrey

Drewrey said he running because he believes the position of Constable can be more effective in serving the citizens of Lafayette County.

“For so many years the position has been treated as a part-time job,” he said. “People will do it and deliver their papers. But when you are a constable you also have the authority to be a regular law enforcement officer. By electing someone to that job that has another full-time job, you’re taking an extra officer out of the community.”

Drewrey, a life-long Lafayette County resident, works for the Lafayette County Road Department and has served as a deputy with the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Department. He has previously worked for the Department of Environmental Quality officer for almost three years.

Drewrey said he wants local people to learn more about the job of being a Constable and go out into the community, visiting with students at local schools and the citizens of Lafayette County.

“My wife and my daughter both are school teachers, and I have a 14-year old that is in the school system,” he said. “That is really my concern – to be visible in the community.”

Chris Smith

Smith was appointed as the Central District Constable in January.

He has 25 years with the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Department and has been shift captain since January.

Also a life-long resident of the county, Smith said he’s enjoyed his job as Constable for the last 10 months.

“It has been great just doing what they appointed me to do,” he said. “What I took an oath to do is to serve in civil processes for the county as we work bailiff for Justice Court.”