Police hiring, training, and disciplinary requirements in Rhode Island
| Police hiring, training, and discipline |
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| • Police collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) • Ballotpedia CBA dashboard •Reform proposals •CBA areas of inquiry and disagreement •Arguments about police collective bargaining • Index of articles about criminal justice policy |
| Click here for more analysis of police hiring, training, and disciplinary requirements by state and city on Ballotpedia |
This page provides an overview of policies related to the hiring, training, and discipline of police officers in Rhode Island. It is part of an analysis of police union collective bargaining agreements and related arrangements with police unions concerning hiring, training, and disciplinary requirements in the 50 states and top 100 cities by population.
Background
Ballotpedia in 2023 examined the collective bargaining agreements, statutes, and regulatory codes governing the 50 states and the top 100 US cities by population through the lens of a series of research questions related to police hiring, training, and discipline.
Some of the hiring, training, and discipline standards for police officers not established by statutes or regulations arise from negotiations with police unions. Those negotiations are often codified in collective bargaining agreements (CBAs). Those agreements are the contracts that states and cities sign following negotiations with police unions. Some states and cities restrict collective bargaining, but may still negotiate with police unions using other methods. After negotiating with the unions, those jurisdictions sometimes establish police standards through documents including memoranda of understanding or meet and confer agreements.
Results
The tables below link to each question Ballotpedia used to analyze the states and cities and indicate how Rhode Island handles police hiring, training, and discipline. To see the provisions Ballotpedia used to support these results, click here.
CBA basics
| CBA basics | Results |
|---|---|
| Is there a CBA with the police union? | YES |
| Is the current CBA publicly available online? | YES |
Discipline and accountability
| Discipline and accountability | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA forbid the transfer or reassignment of an officer as a form of discipline? | NO |
| Do officers have a right to request third-party arbitration for grievances, including over disciplinary actions? | YES |
Condition: Grievances regarding dismissal or discipline may be subject to the grievance/arbitration procedure; Selection: Labor Relations Connection; Provider: Labor Relations Connection; Arbitrator authority: The arbitrator's decision is final and bindingGrievances may be appealed to arbitration within 30 days of the grievance procedure decision. Employees reinstated or restored to their former position will receive backpay. | |
| Does the CBA contain provisions related to discipline for misconduct? | YES |
Primary discipline authority: State of Rhode Island, Police Department; Types: Suspension, demotion, discharge, other disciplinary action; Restricted aspects: N/A; Challenge/appeal process: Union grievance procedure.The superintendent may discipline for just cause within the context of the grievance procedure | |
| Does the CBA explicitly allow for a state ombudsman outside particular police departments to hold law enforcement officers accountable for misconduct? | NO |
Legal limitations or provisions
| Legal limitations or provisions | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the city CBA prohibit felons from becoming law enforcement officers? | NO |
| Are there any statutes or regulations that prohibit collective bargaining with police unions? | NO |
| Does the state have a "police bill of rights" statute or regulation? | YES |
Explicitly titled "Law Enforcement Officers' Bill of Rights." Right to hearing, procedure, appeal, no retaliation for exercising rights. | |
Training and counseling
Community relations and oversight
| Community relations and oversight | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA reference citizen review boards? | NO |
| Does the CBA have provisions related to community policing? | NO |
Investigations
| Investigations | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA contain provisions related to misconduct investigations? | YES |
Disciplinary suspension shall not occur without departmental proceeding. No further details on how investigation will proceed. | |
| Does the CBA require notice to officers of investigations? | NO |
| Does the CBA determine a timeline for investigations? | NO |
| Does the CBA contain provisions related to compensation during misconduct investigations? | YES |
Employees will continue to receive compensation during a disciplinary suspension prior to a hearing. | |
Evidence and records
| Evidence and records | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA have provisions related to the use of body-worn cameras or body-worn camera video evidence? | YES |
There is a $3000 stipend from the state for implementing body cameras. | |
| Does the CBA regulate processes for retaining officer disciplinary records? | NO |
Record storage: N/A; Storage authority: N/A; Types of records: Personnel files; Timeline: N/A; Access and use: Every Member shall be allowed reasonable opportunity to review the contents of his/her personnel file upon request, provided, however, that nothing herein shall be interpreted contrary to § 28-6.4-1 of the Rhode Island General Laws; Use in decisions: N/A | |
Qualifications and evaluation
| Qualifications and evaluation | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA require performance evaluations? | NO |
| Does the CBA restrict licensing procedures for law enforcement officers or departments? | NO |
Union authority
| Union authority | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA limit union authority to pay and benefits issues? | NO |
| Does the CBA give the union the power to approve or disapprove new training programs for law enforcement officers? | NO |
| Does the CBA have provisions involving the union in the process for promotions, unit assignments, and transfers? | YES |
Employer retains exclusive right to hire, promote, transfer, assign; Reasons for transfer of detectives may be requested by union | |
See also
Footnotes
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