Rhode Island General Laws Title 42. State Affairs and Government § 42-28.6-1. Definitions--Payment of legal fees

(3)(i) “ Hearing committee” means a committee acting as a deliberative body which is authorized to hold a hearing on a complaint against a law enforcement officer and which consists of five (5) members: one member appointed by the chief justice of the supreme court who shall be a retired justice or judge of the supreme, superior, or district court; one member appointed by the chief justice of the supreme court, who is a practicing attorney in good standing with the supreme court, in consultation with the court's committee on racial and ethnic fairness and the Rhode Island Bar Association and its committee on diversity, equity, and inclusion; and three (3) active or retired qualified law enforcement officers employed by or retired from the state police or a municipal law enforcement agency from within the state of Rhode Island, who shall be selected at random by the Rhode Island police officers commission on standards and training from the certified officer pool established pursuant to § 42-28.6-1.1 at an open meeting pursuant to chapter 46 of this title. No law enforcement officer shall be selected that is employed by or retired from the same law enforcement agency that employs the accused law enforcement officer or who is employed by or retired from the charging law enforcement agency. The retired justice or judge appointed by the chief justice of the supreme court shall serve as chairperson of the hearing committee. Upon written application by a majority of the hearing committee, the chairperson, in their discretion, may also appoint legal counsel to assist the hearing committee.

(ii) The law enforcement agency and the accused law enforcement officer under investigation shall each be responsible to pay fifty percent (50%) of the legal fee of the appointed legal counsel for the hearing committee; provided, however, that on motion made by either party, the chair of the hearing committee shall have the authority to make a different disposition as to what each party is required to pay toward the appointed legal counsel's legal fee.

(i) A sworn law enforcement officer who:

(ii) A retired law enforcement officer who has qualified prior to retirement or during retirement and has met the criteria set out herein.