TIVERTON — Jacob Rapoza, a former school resource officer at Tiverton High School, was found guilty Wednesday, May 8, on two misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct in connection with incidents in the fall of 2022 involving the improper activation of his taser at the school. 

A third misdemeanor charge of simple assault, which was also connected to the use of his taser, resulted in a not-guilty verdict.

Second Division District Court Judge Colleen M. Hastings issued the rulings in followup to a one-day non-jury trial held in March. 

Rapoza’s sentence includes 10 hours of community service, payment of court costs, a $200 contribution to the Victim Crime Indemnity Fund and one-year consecutive filings for each guilty charge, meaning once each conviction has been on his record for a full year, he can request that it be erased. 

Rapoza and his attorney are expected to file appeals of the convictions with R.I. Superior Court. 

In December 2022, Rapoza was suspended after parents complained about what they said was his inappropriate reaction to a prank involving students who had decorated his school office door with graffiti. 

While investigating that incident, police learned of allegations that Rapoza had activated his department-issued taser several times at a school-sponsored football game and at an assembly in the high school’s library. The disorderly conduct charges stemmed from those incidents.  

Tiverton Police Chief Patrick Jones said Rapoza has been suspended without pay since the disorderly conduct charges were filed. The suspension will continue, he said, pending the outcome of an unrelated second-degree child abuse charge brought by the Warren Police Department. 

During the May 8 hearing, Judge Hastings discussed the appropriate use of tasers, noting police officers are authorized to use them in situations where they believe there is immediate threat of harm to themselves, other officers, or members of the public, including situations where a suspect is armed and exhibiting violent or aggressive behavior. 

Rapoza, she said, was not presented with a situation that created an immediate safety risk that was likely to be resolved by using his taser.

The judge referred to testimony provided at the trial by Tiverton Police Lt. Bryan Palagi, who said “the defendant’s use in the library and on the football field was not in accordance with Tiverton Police Department policy and not consistent with Mr. Rapoza’s training.”  

Asked to comment on the outcome of the hearing, Chief Jones said the Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights precludes him from doing so.