Rhode Island General Laws Title 16. Education § 16-52-2. Appointment of campus police

(a) The board of governors for higher education may appoint one or more persons who may act as police officers upon the property and highways of state colleges and universities subject to the control of the board. The campus police officers shall protect the property of each college or university, suppress nuisances and disturbances and breaches of the peace, and enforce laws and regulations for the preservation of good order. They shall have the same powers and authority as that conferred upon municipal police officers, including the power to arrest persons for violations of state criminal statutes or for violations of city or town ordinances of the city or town in which the institution is located. They shall not carry firearms unless expressly authorized by the board of governors. Additionally, any campus police officer observing the violation of any rule or regulation of the board adopted pursuant to this chapter, including but not limited to parking and traffic regulations, may issue a summons in the manner and form set forth in § 31-27-12 or § 31-41.1-1 returnable to the district court, the police court of the city or town where the violation occurs, or the traffic tribunal as provided by law.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, all fines and penalties recovered for violation of rules and regulations made under authority of this section shall be accounted for by the appropriate authority, which shall forward all fines or penalties for nonmoving traffic violations to the general treasurer for use by the college or university on whose campus the citation or violation was issued in accordance with § 16-32-27.