Twenty-two year resident appointed constable
By: Greg Forester
ROCKY HILL Rocky Hill residents neglecting to shovel snow on their property or parking illegally near the First Reformed Church beware there’s a new lawman in town.
Albert Chini, a 22-year resident of the borough, was recently appointed as the new constable in Rocky Hill.
Mr. Chini’s appointment fills the position vacated by Jim Banks when Mr. Banks took a position on the Rocky Hill Borough Council earlier in the year.
Don’t expect the new peace officer to be tooling around Rocky Hill in a squad car, or conducting undercover investigations. New Jersey law doesn’t even allow constables to carry a gun, unless they get a court order.
Despite these truths about the seldom-used New Jersey law enforcement position, Mr. Chini says he feels optimistic about his new duties, which he’ll share with the other Rocky Hill constable, Robert Crowe.
"Well, I look forward to working with Bob Crowe," said Mr. Chini. "We’re going to get together soon and discuss the split-up of the responsibilities."
Mr. Crowe said he was also happy about having someone else to help him out.
"The town is not that big, but one constable can be a stretch at times," said Mr. Crowe.
To most, the term constable sounds like something out of Victorian England, but the position still has applications today, especially in smaller municipalities like Rocky Hill that don’t have their own police force.
While technically an officer of the law, Mr. Chini believes the position is more about public safety.
"It’s really about the quality of life here in Rocky Hill," said Mr. Chini. "I have to make sure everything in Rocky Hill is accessible and safe for the residents.
"I believe the meaning of the old term is someone ‘keeping the peace.’"
To this end, Rocky Hill residents are sure to see Mr. Chini or Mr. Crowe out directing traffic in the event of an accident or something else affecting the flow cars through town.
The new constable’s responsibilities include directing traffic in the event of an accident, making sure people shovel snow and remove obstacles from their property, and maintaining the safety and peace of Rocky Hill.
Constables rarely give out tickets because of the laws they enforce, such as proper snow removal or parking regulations.
"I usually give people a couple of days, and tell them to shovel it," said Mr. Crowe, the veteran constable in Rocky Hill.
Although they both have the ability to hand out tickets, Mr. Chini doesn’t foresee the necessity of doing so in Rocky Hill."The people here are very cooperative," said the new constable. "I don’t think tickets would be required."
Although state law makes constables a countywide position, residents probably won’t hear about Mr. Chini or Mr. Crowe giving out tickets in other parts of Somerset County.
"We really don’t have powers outside of Rocky Hill," said Mr. Crowe. "I only do stuff inside the borough."
Besides being the new peace officer in town, Mr. Chini is a part-time theater technician, sometimes working with Princeton University.
He moved into the borough in 1985.

