Richard Silva, who worked for 25 years in the East Providence Police Department, is raising questions about the handling of the license-plate deposits — which are collected by charities and not by the Division of Motor Vehicles. Because the state is not directly involved, it’s left Silva and hundreds of others to their own devices in getting refunds from a largely unresponsive organization.

In the spring of 2016, Silva applied for a Rhode Island Law Enforcement Memorial Benefit Fund charity license plate, which had been authorized by the General Assembly in 2012. Silva retired in 1992 after a career with the East Providence police. "They took care of me for 25 years; now it was my turn to pay some back,’’ he said.

Organizers needed at least 900 people to sign up to have the plates manufactured and put into circulation.

Silva wrote a check for $41.50; just over half would go to the state and $20 would go to the nonprofit group, whose mission is "to honor fallen law enforcement in the state of Rhode Island, through awareness and education, thereby making it safer for those who serve,’’ according to its website.

Silva said that’s what attracted him. "The fact it was something to do with law enforcement, it was a memorial fund. I didn’t know exactly what they were going to do, but at least I thought I should support it."