Rhode Island § 11-18-31 - Fraud and False Dealing

§ 11-18-31. Solicitation in name of law enforcement agency.

(a) No professional solicitor shall solicit money from any individual or business in the name of any law enforcement agency or any organization which would reasonably appear to be affiliated in any way with any law enforcement agency or personnel. For the purposes of this section, “professional solicitor” means any firm or corporation or any person other than a sworn police officer or retired police officer in the agency or organization for which the solicitation is being made, who, for compensation or other consideration, solicits contributions for or on behalf of another.

(b) No person shall solicit money in the name of any law enforcement agency or any organization which would reasonably appear to be affiliated in any way with any law enforcement agency or personnel, unless notification is given to the superintendent of the state police and the police chief of the municipality in which solicitations shall be conducted.

(c) Only sworn police officers and retired police officers shall solicit money in the name of any law enforcement agency or any organization which would reasonably appear to be affiliated in any way with any law enforcement agency or personnel. Every sworn police officer and retired police officer so soliciting shall identify himself or herself by name, rank, department and status as an active or retired police officer to each person solicited. If the solicitation is done by telephone, the same officer or retired officer who makes the telephone solicitation shall personally appear before the donor to accept the donation.

(d) Any person, firm, or corporation violating the provisions of this section shall be punished by imprisonment not exceeding two (2) years and/or fined in an amount not exceeding two thousand dollars ($2,000).