Sergeant-at-Arms

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Serjeant-at-Arms with ceremonial staff at the opening of Parliament, New Zealand 1950

Sergeant-at-Arms (SAA for short), also in the forms Serjeant-at-Arms or Sergeant at Arms , is the title of an official in the English-speaking world who is on behalf of a legislative assembly or parliament to maintain legality and order and security at the meeting place.

The office has existed in Great Britain since 1415. The task of the Serjeant-at-Arms is to maintain legality, order and security in the House of Commons , its equivalent in the House of Lords is the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod . The Serjeant-at-Arms wears a ceremonial mace symbolizing the authority of the Crown and the House of Commons. At the opening of each session he steps forward with this mace to the Speaker of the House of Commons as he enters the House of Commons. During the session, the mace rests on the table of the House of Commons.

In political systems designed according to the Westminster system , the office also exists in the respective national parliaments, for example in Australia , Bangladesh , Canada , New Zealand , Sri Lanka and South Africa . In the United States , the federal offices are Sergeant at Arms of the United States Senate and Sergeant at Arms of the United States House of Representatives . The office also exists at the state level, for example in B. Florida and Texas . The Sergeant at Arms of the United States Senate is the only person authorized to arrest the President of the United States for failure to obey Senate rules.

The term Sergeant at Arms (also Enforcer or Security Chief) is also used in rocker and motorcycle clubs. The appropriate person is responsible for discipline and safety.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. US Senate: SAA FAQs , last accessed September 25, 2015