06/01/2026
Constables deal with some of the ugliest situations involving evictions. Having to remove someone from what they consider their home is dangerous. Most folks are not aware of what constables do, and quite often, they are not paid or equipped like other law enforcement in their county.
In this Pulitzer -worthy 2023 photo by Joanna Palomo you see the scene in Salinas, CA, when a Monterey County deputy was evacuated after being shot while serving eviction papers.
He survived.
You can also see a pretty concrete illustration that may explain why rural officers have such an unexpectedly high fatality rate when they get shot.
In one of the state's (many) remote counties, a deputy might have had backup on the enforcement, but he'd almost certainly be alone when he served initial eviction process.
Boone was, many many times.
Backup isn't just company, it's someone to apply pressure or a tourniquet, someone to pick you up and run, someone to cover your six.
It's a chance at a second chance.
I'm grateful this deputy had that chance. My wish for him is a complete recovery with the full support of his agency and community.
My wish for you is that someday you have what you need to have a chance at a second chance, too.
-Charlie Pitt