Rhode Island Senate Bill S2279

Rhode Island 2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/23/26
• Refer: 1/23/26

Caption

RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- ARREST

Summary

S2279 would authorize private, state-charted colleges and universities in Rhode Island to create or maintain campus security or public safety departments staffed by special police officers, public safety officers, security personnel, or similar employees. Under the bill, non-sworn public safety officers and security guards who are properly trained could, without a warrant, detain a person when they have reasonable grounds to believe a criminal offense occurred within their jurisdiction and believe that person was responsible. The detention authority is limited: the officer or guard must immediately request assistance from state police or the local police department with jurisdiction, and the person may not be detained for more than 30 minutes while waiting for law enforcement. The bill also requires training in restraint devices and compliance with locally or nationally recognized use-of-force policies. The act would take effect upon passage.

Impact

The bill would amend Rhode Island General Laws chapter 12-7, relating to arrest, by adding a new section specifically governing detention by security personnel at private state-charted institutions of higher education. It would expand the authority of certain campus security staff beyond ordinary private security functions by allowing limited warrantless detention on campus, while preserving primary law-enforcement responsibility for state and local police. The measure would directly affect private colleges and universities, their security departments, and individuals on those campuses who may be subject to detention under the new standard.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee testimony or votes, the overall sentiment appears procedural and supportive of giving private campus safety personnel a narrowly defined public-safety tool. The bill’s structure suggests an effort to balance campus security needs with limits on detention time, police notification, and training requirements. No contrary positions are documented in the provided materials.

Contention

The main policy issue is the scope of authority granted to non-sworn campus security staff. Supporters would likely view the bill as improving campus safety and allowing faster response to incidents, while critics could raise concerns about due process, the risk of mistaken detention, and the expansion of quasi-police powers to private institutions. The 30-minute cap, immediate police notification requirement, and training mandates appear designed to address those concerns by limiting discretion and ensuring law-enforcement oversight.