R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-41.1-2: Payment without personal appearance.

Any member of the state police, or any member of the police department of any city or town and any other duly authorized law enforcement officer who charges any person with an offense as set out in § 31-41.1-4 shall, in addition to issuing a summons for the offense, provide the offending operator with a form which will allow the offender to dispose of the charge without the necessity of personally appearing before the traffic tribunal. This section shall apply to resident and nonresident operators.