Rhode Island General Laws 11-44-21. Vandalizing alarms or call boxes – False alarms
Whoever opens a signal box connected with a police, fire, or motorist aid call system for the purpose of giving or causing to be given a false alarm, or interferes in any way with a signal box by breaking, cutting, injuring, or defacing it; or, without authority, opens, tampers, or meddles with a signal box, or with any part or parts of it, or with the police signal wires, or with anything connected with it, or, with that purpose, willfully or knowingly tampers or meddles with a signal box connected with a fire signal system or with any part or thing connected with it, or, with that purpose, willfully or knowingly tampers or meddles with a motorist aid call box, or by any means gives or aids or abets in the giving of a false alarm of fire or emergency or falsely summons an ambulance or rescue apparatus, shall be subject to punishment by imprisonment for up to one year, or fined not more than five hundred dollars ($500), or both. Upon conviction for any offense referred to in this section, the court shall, in addition to imposing a fine and/or imprisonment, order the offender to make restitution to the appropriate state, city, or town authority or agency for any expenditures necessitated by the commission of the offense.
History of Section.
G.L. 1896, ch. 278, § 6; G.L. 1909, ch. 344, § 7; G.L. 1923, ch. 396, § 7; P.L. 1928, ch. 1155, § 1; G.L. 1938, ch. 607, § 7; P.L. 1941, ch. 1009, § 1; P.L. 1942, ch. 1238, § 1; P.L. 1952, ch. 2881, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 11-44-21; P. L. 1971, ch. 211, § 1; P.L. 1981, ch. 153, §§ 1, 2.
Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 11-44-21
- Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
- Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.
- Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
- town: may be construed to include city; the words "town council" include city council; the words "town clerk" include city clerk; the words "ward clerk" include clerk of election district; the words "town treasurer" include city treasurer; and the words "town sergeant" include city sergeant. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-9