R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-28-31

No tuition fee or any other charge shall be assessed against any city or town for the training of any candidate and the expense of that training shall be borne by the state of Rhode Island. The general assembly shall annually appropriate such sum or sums as may be necessary for the proper maintenance of the municipal police training school; provided, however, that any compensation to any candidate during the period of the candidate’s training shall be fixed and determined by the proper authority within the city or town sponsoring the candidate and such compensation, if any, shall be paid directly to the candidate by the city or town of which the candidate is a resident.