AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- ARREST (Permits non-sworn public safety officers/security guards at private colleges/universities to detain individuals for no longer than 30 minutes within the campus’s jurisdiction if the officer or guard believes the person committed a criminal offense.)

S2279

2026 -- S 2279
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LC004329
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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A N A C T
RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- ARREST

Introduced By:
Senators Patalano, Dimitri, Thompson, Famiglietti, LaMountain, Burke,
Appollonio, Paolino, de la Cruz, and Rogers

Date Introduced:
January 23, 2026

Referred To:
Senate Judiciary
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Chapter 12-7 of the General Laws entitled "Arrest" is hereby amended by
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adding thereto the following section:
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12-7-1.1. Detention by university or college security.

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(a) The governing board of any private state-charted institution of higher education which
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maintains a campus or other real property for educational purposes may establish a security, public
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safety office, or similar department, which employs or contracts with special police officers, public
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safety officers, security personnel or similar individuals. The appointment of special police officers,
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and the powers granted to those individuals shall be governed by chapter 2.1 of title 12. If so
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appointed by an institution, other duly trained members of such a department, including non-sworn
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public safety officers and security guards may, without a warrant, detain any person for any
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criminal offense, whenever the public safety officer or security guard has reasonable grounds to
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believe that an offense has been committed within the jurisdiction of that public safety officer or
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security guard and the officer or guard has reason to believe that the person being detained, is
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responsible for the commission of said criminal offense.
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(b) Any public safety officer or security guard that detains any individual for the suspected
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commission of a criminal offense shall immediately request assistance from either the state police
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or the local police department having jurisdiction over the private college or university and shall
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not detain any person beyond a reasonable period of not greater than thirty (30) minutes, while
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waiting for state or local police assistance.

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(c) All public safety officers and security guards employed by any private college or
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university subject to this section shall be trained in the proper use of restraint devices and shall
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abide by locally or nationally recognized use of force policies.
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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- ARREST
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This act would permit non-sworn public safety officers and security guards at private
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colleges and universities, to detain individuals for no longer than thirty (30) minutes, within the
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campus jurisdiction, when the officer or guard has reasonable grounds to believe that the person
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has committed a criminal offense.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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