R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-28-29: Sponsorship of school candidates by city or town.

Candidates meeting the physical, mental, and educational requirements of this chapter shall be admitted to the municipal police training school only upon the request of the appointing authority in the city or town of which the prospective candidate is a resident, and every such application by the appointing authority shall be accompanied by a statement that the candidate has prospects, within the reasonable future, of a permanent appointment to the police force of the city or town sponsoring the candidate; provided, however, that any member of any police department of any city or town accepting the provisions of §§ 42-28-25 — 42-28-31, inclusive, shall be eligible for training and retraining in the school.