While provincial constables in the Kamakura period simply had military police powers, those in the Muromachi period gradually absorbed the powers of the lords of manors and the kokuga (provincial government offices) as well as the military police powers, based on the interests obtained in "Hanzei."
鎌倉時代の守護が国内の軍事警察権を持つにとどまっていたのに対し、室町期の守護は、半済で得た権益を元に、軍事警察権のみならず荘園領主や国衙の権能を吸収していった。