Title 12, Title 12 Procedure

In an action for false arrest or false imprisonment, the plaintiff, if successful, may be awarded punitive damages in addition to compensatory damages.

If any part of §§ 12-7-1 — 12-7-14 is for any reason declared void, its invalidity shall not affect the remaining portions of those sections.

The authority given to any one to arrest any person or seize anything, while the person is actually engaged or the thing is actually used or employed in the commission of any offense, shall not be so construed as to prevent, if not so arrested or seized, the arrest of the person …

The director of the department of corrections, the warden of the adult correctional institutions, any superintendent or employees connected with any institution under the management and control of the department of corrections, or any police officer or town constable, may arrest,…

A National Guard member of the rank of sergeant or higher who is on emergency state duty pursuant to the call of the governor may detain any person abroad who he or she has reason to suspect is committing, has committed, or is about to commit a crime, and may demand of the person…

Any member of a duly organized municipal peace unit of another city or town of the state who enters any city or town in close pursuit and continues within any city or town in such close pursuit of a person in order to stop him or her for a suspected violation of any provision of …

A peace officer may search for a dangerous weapon any person he or she is questioning or about to question concerning any crime or suspected crime, whenever the officer reasonably believes that he or she is in danger from the person carrying a weapon, and if the person is carryin…

Any person arrested under the provisions of this chapter shall be afforded, as soon after being detained as practicable, not to exceed one hour from the time of detention, the opportunity to make use of a telephone for the purpose of securing an attorney or arranging for bail; pr…

“Peace officer,” as used within this chapter, means the following individuals or members of: (1) Rhode Island state police; (2) Any member of a municipal or local police department; (3) Rhode Island airport corporation police; (4) Rhode Island park police; (5) Rhode Island capito…

(a) In order to: (1) Minimize the likelihood of a wrongful conviction caused by a false confession; and (2) Further improve the already high quality of criminal justice in our state, the general assembly creates a taskforce to investigate and develop policies and procedures for e…

A peace officer may, without a warrant, arrest a person if the officer has reasonable cause to believe that the person is committing or has committed a misdemeanor or a petty misdemeanor, and the officer has reasonable ground to believe that person cannot be arrested later or may…

A peace officer may, without a warrant, arrest a person for a felony, whenever: (1) The officer has reasonable ground to believe that a felony has been or is being committed and that the person to be arrested has committed or is committing it. (2) The person to be arrested in fac…

If a lawful cause of arrest exists, the arrest shall be lawful even though the officer made the arrest on an improper ground.

A peace officer may, without having a warrant in his or her possession, arrest any person for whose arrest a warrant has been issued, but after arrest, the warrant shall be shown to him or her as soon as practicable.

An arrest is made by the restraint of the person to be arrested or by his or her submission of his or her person to the custody of the person making the arrest.

No greater restraint than is necessary shall be used for the detention of any person, and no unnecessary or unreasonable force shall be used in making an arrest.

A police officer may use force dangerous to human life to make a lawful arrest for committing or attempting to commit a felony, whenever he or she reasonably believes that force dangerous to human life is necessary to effect the arrest and that the person to be arrested is aware …