Rhode Island § 3-12-1 § 3-12-1. Duty of deputy sheriffs, town constables, and police officers — Action on taxpayer's demand.

Rhode Island Statutes

§ 3-12-1 — § 3-12-1. Duty of deputy sheriffs, town constables, and police officers — Action on taxpayer's demand.

Rhode Island § 3-12-1

Title 3Alcoholic Beverages

Ch. 3-12Enforcement of Title

This text of Rhode Island § 3-12-1 (§ 3-12-1. Duty of deputy sheriffs, town constables, and police officers — Action on taxpayer's demand.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Rhode Island primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

R.I. Gen. Laws § 3-12-1 (2026).

Text

§ 3-12-1. Duty of deputy sheriffs, town constables, and police officers — Action on taxpayer's
               demand.
Members of the division of sheriffs, the city and town sergeants, town constables,
            officers, members of the town or city police, and members of the division of state
            police are empowered and it is made their duty to see that the provisions of this
            title and the rules and regulations made or authorized by the department of business
            regulation and the division of taxation are enforced within their counties, towns,
            and cities. It is their special duty to use their utmost efforts to repress and prevent
            crime by the suppression of unlicen

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§ 3-12-1. Duty of deputy sheriffs, town constables, and police officers — Action on taxpayer's demand.

Members of the division of sheriffs, the city and town sergeants, town constables, officers, members of the town or city police, and members of the division of state police are empowered and it is made their duty to see that the provisions of this title and the rules and regulations made or authorized by the department of business regulation and the division of taxation are enforced within their counties, towns, and cities. It is their special duty to use their utmost efforts to repress and prevent crime by the suppression of unlicensed liquor shops, gambling places, and houses of ill fame, and they shall also do so on the request of any taxpayer of any town or city and may command aid in the execution of the authority conferred. Any officer within the above enumeration who willfully neglects or refuses to perform the duties imposed upon him or her by this section shall be fined not exceeding five hundred dollars ($500) and be rendered ineligible again to be appointed to this position; provided, that the officer may after investigation, before taking any further action at the request of any taxpayer, demand that the taxpayer requesting him or her to act give a bond to secure to that officer reasonable compensation for his or her services and to protect him or her from all costs and damages that may arise from that action.

Legislative History

P.L. 1933, ch. 2013, § 33; G.L. 1938, ch. 174, § 1; impl. am. P.L. 1939, ch. 660, § 120; G.L. 1956, § 3-12-1; P.L. 1996, ch. 100, art. 36, § 13; P.L. 2012, ch. 324, § 9; P.L. 2015, ch. 260, § 1; P.L. 2015, ch. 275, § 1.