R.I. Gen. Laws § 12-14-4
The towns of Bristol, Johnston, Narragansett, North Kingstown, South Kingstown, Warren, Westerly, West Warwick and North Providence are authorized and empowered to fix any fines that the respective town council may, from time to time, establish for violation of traffic ordinances. The town councils may designate the police department for the purpose of collecting the fines as provided in this section, when the offender decides to dispose of the charge without personal appearance in court within seven (7) days from the notification. The police department is authorized to receive the fines directly from any person charged with a violation of any provision of the ordinances of the town relating to traffic, and the money so received and collected shall be turned over by the police to the town treasurer. All charges, records and payments shall be immediately entered by the police, and the books of the police containing records of the violations, their dispositions and money received as fines shall be audited not less than once every three (3) months by a town auditor of the town. In the event the offender refuses or neglects to dispose of the charges before seven (7) days, then he or she shall be brought before the district court for the first, fourth, or sixth divisions, as the case may be, for trial and for any disposition of the case that the court may decide to be proper, in which case the provisions of § 12-14-1, relating to fines and their disposition, shall prevail.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 12-14-4