Rhode Island § 45-2-70 - General Powers

§ 45-2-70. Reimbursement of public safety training expenses.

(a) Any law enforcement agency, fire department, fire district, or emergency medical services organization within the state that hires a public safety employee (including law enforcement officers, firefighters, or emergency medical personnel) from another municipality or fire district within the state shall, upon hiring such personnel, reimburse the original employing municipality or fire district for the cost of training and equipping the employee, provided these costs were incurred within three (3) years of the employee’s hire.

(b) Reimbursable expenses shall include, but are not limited to:

(1) Costs for basic and specialized training programs;

(2) Uniforms, personal protective equipment, and other non-reusable items;

(3) Equipment and materials directly provided during the training period; and

(4) A prorated portion of the base salary and benefits paid during the training academy period.

(c) The reimbursing organization shall notify the original employing municipality or fire district within ten (10) days of the employee’s hire. The original employer shall provide an itemized statement of reimbursable costs within thirty (30) days of notification. Payment must be made within one hundred twenty (120) days of receipt of the itemized claim.

(d) Reimbursement percentages are determined based on the time elapsed since the completion of training:

(1) One hundred percent (100%) reimbursement for hires made within one year of training academy completion;

(2) Seventy-five percent (75%) reimbursement for hires between one and two (2) years after training academy completion;

(3) Fifty percent (50%) reimbursement for hires between two (2) and three (3) years after training academy completion.

(e) This section supersedes any conflicting municipal policies, resolutions, charter provisions or bylaws, or ordinances.