Tiverton officer accused of child abuse issued no-contact order

TIVERTON, R.I. (WLNE) — A Tiverton police officer accused of child abuse appeared in court Thursday.

Jacob Rapoza was arrested by Warren police last week and charged with second-degree child abuse.

According to his lawyer, the officer has been held as a bail violator since he turned himself in.

Rapoza was released on $3,000 bail and was issued a no-contact order with his own child that will run concurrent with family court proceedings.

He was previously fired from his position as a Tiverton school resource officer last December after being accused of assault.

Tiverton Police Chief Patrick Jones said that Rapoza had been suspended without pay since charges were filed in the Tiverton case in March, but he has since been suspended without pay.