Subtitle 29A – Public Safety Apprenticeship Program
Current through 2026-07-17. Source: City of Balt., Md., Ord. 26-129. Published by the Baltimore City Department of Legislative Reference.
Balt., Md., Code art. 1, § 29A-1 (2026)
§ 29A-1 Definitions.LinkCopy Citation
(a)In general.
In this subtitle, the following terms have the meanings indicated.
(b)Cadet.
“Cadet” means a participant in the Public Safety Apprenticeship Program who:
(1)
has been hired into a specialized training program aimed at introducing young adults to public safety careers; and
(2)
is at least 18 but no more than 21 years old.
(c)Department.
“Department” means the Baltimore City Fire Department.
(d)Explorer.
“Explorer” means a participant in the Public Safety Apprenticeship Program who is:
(1)
a Baltimore City resident;
(2)
enrolled in a public, public charter, private, or parochial school within Baltimore City; and
(3)
at least 11 but no more than 18 years old.
(e)Public safety agency.
“Public safety agency” means the following:
(1)
Baltimore City Fire Department;
(2)
Baltimore City Police Department;
(3)
Baltimore City Office of Emergency Management;
(4)
Baltimore City Sheriff’s Office; and
(5)
Baltimore City School Police.
(f)Public Safety Apprenticeship Program; Program.
“Public Safety Apprenticeship Program” or “Program” means a program for recruiting, mentoring, training, and hiring a new generation of Baltimore City youth and young adults to prepare them for careers in law enforcement, fire suppression, emergency medical services, and emergency management.
(g)Public Safety Cadet Post; Cadet Post.
“Public Safety Cadet Post” or “Cadet Post” means the branch of the Program that engages participants who are at least 18 but no more than 21 years old.
(h)Public Safety Explorer Post; Explorer Post.
“Public Safety Explorer Post” or “Explorer Post” means the branch of the Program that engages participants who are at least 11 but no more than 18 years old.
(i)Public safety internship.
“Public safety internship” means an 8 to 10 week paid summer internship in a Baltimore City public safety agency for participants in the Program who are at least 14 but no more than 18 years old.
Balt., Md., Code art. 1, § 29A-2 (2026)
§ 29A-2 Program establishment.LinkCopy Citation
(a)In general.
There is a Public Safety Apprenticeship Program in Baltimore City, consisting of:
(1)
the Public Safety Explorers Post; and
(2)
the Public Safety Cadet Post.
(b)Staffing.
The Program shall be staffed with a reasonable number of uniformed and non-uniformed personnel who are full-time members of a public safety agency.
(c)Public Safety Explorers Post.
(1)
By January 1, 2023, each participating public safety agency shall develop and implement their own local Public Safety Explorers Post.
(2)
The goals and objectives of the Explorers Post are to:
(i)
expose youth in Baltimore City to public safety careers;
(ii)
serve as a local recruitment tool for future men and women in public safety professions;
(iii)
build better community relations efforts in Baltimore City between public safety agencies, youth, and the community;
(iv)
utilize active personnel within each of Baltimore City’s public safety agencies to serve as recruiters, mentors, and trainers; and
(v)
develop programming that builds character, develops leadership skills, and fosters an appreciation for community service and good citizenship.
(3)
In order to be eligible to participate in the Explorers Post, an individual shall:
(i)
have approval from the individual’s parent or guardian;
(ii)
be at least 11 but no more than 18 years old;
(iii)
be a Baltimore City resident;
(iv)
be enrolled in a Baltimore City-based public, public charter, private, or parochial school; and
(v)
be able to safely perform the duties of an explorer without posing a threat to the health and safety of themselves or others.
(d)Public safety internship.
(1)In general.
The public safety internship will provide youth who are current participants in the Program with the opportunity to take part in an 8 to 10 week paid summer internship with a public safety agency.
(2)Eligibility.
In order to be eligible for a public safety internship under the Program, an individual shall:
(i)
be at least 14 but no more than 18 years old;
(ii)
have attended a reasonable number of Explorer Post Activities as determined by the host agency within the fiscal year immediately preceding the application period;
(iii)
be enrolled in a Baltimore City-based public, public charter, private, or parochial school;
(iv)
at the time of entry into the Program, have and maintain a minimum of a “C” average in school;
(v)
be able to safely perform the duties of an explorer without posing a threat to the health and safety of themselves or others.
(vi)
complete all documentation required by the Department; and
(vii)
participate in a formal interview process with representatives from public safety agencies.
(3)Curriculum.
Each participating public safety agency shall develop and implement their own specialized curriculum of modules that expose public safety internship participants to the various uniformed and non-uniformed career paths with the public safety agency.
(e)Public Safety Cadet Post.
(1)
The Public Safety Cadet Post shall provide eligible individuals who are participants in the Program with the opportunity to:
(i)
be hired by a public safety agency in the career track of the participant’s choice; and
(ii)
receive on-the-job training and skills development for a period of not more than 3 years.
(2)
In order to be eligible to participate in the Public Safety Cadet Post, an individual shall:
(i)
be at least 18 years old but no more than 21 years old; and
(ii)
meet all of the hiring requirements in accordance with:
(A)
the Baltimore City Administrative Manual; and
(B)
the rules and regulations governing the public safety agency chosen by the cadet.
(3)
Beginning in fiscal year 2023, the Cadet Post shall use a phased-in approach to hire a minimum number of young adults to serve in the law enforcement career track or the fire and emergency medical services career track in the following sequence:
(i)
in fiscal year 2023:
(A)
10 Emergency Medical Technician (“EMT”)/firefighter cadets; and
(B)
10 police cadets;
(ii)
in fiscal year 2024:
(A)
15 EMT/firefighter cadets; and
(B)
15 police cadets
(iii)
in fiscal year 2025:
(A)
20 EMT/firefighter cadets; and
(B)
20 police cadets;
(iv)
in fiscal year 2026:
(A)
25 EMT/firefighter cadets; and
(B)
25 police cadets; and
(v)
beginning in fiscal year 2027, if funding is available, each agency shall continue to hire a minimum of 25 cadets in each career track.
(4)
Fire Department cadet duties shall include:
(i)
completion of all Baltimore City Fire Academy training modules and certifications;
(ii)
an academy and field operations training rotation lasting 18 months; and
(iii)
all administrative functions that fall into this classification of work as prescribed by the public safety agency.
(5)
Law enforcement cadet duties shall include:
(i)
maintaining and filing records;
(ii)
operating office computers and machines;
(iii)
answering telephones;
(iv)
entering and indexing official documents;
(v)
preparing routine reports;
(vi)
preparing and tabulating facts and figures for statistical purposes; and
(vii)
all other administrative functions that do not require law enforcement authority.
Balt., Md., Code art. 1, § 29A-3 (2026)
§ 29A-3 Program funding.LinkCopy Citation
(a)Public Safety Apprenticeship Program.
Program funding shall be subject to an appropriation of funds in accordance with <cite data-doc="City of Baltimore, Md., Charter">the City Charter</cite>.
(b)Public safety internship.
An appropriate allocation of funds may be provided for miscellaneous costs associated with the public safety internship, including transportation fees for participants.
Balt., Md., Code art. 1, § 29A-4 (2026)
§ 29A-4 Compensation.LinkCopy Citation
(a)Public safety internship compensation.
Subject to the availability of funds, on or before July 1, 2023, individuals hired to participate in the 8 to 10 week public safety internship shall be paid an amount determined by the Board of Estimates.
(b)Public Safety Cadet Post compensation.
Subject to the availability of funds, individuals selected to participate in the Cadet Post shall receive a benefits and compensation package as determined by the Board of Estimates.
Balt., Md., Code art. 1, § 29A-5 (2026)
§ 29A-5 Annual Report.LinkCopy Citation
(a)In general.
(1)
On or before June 30 of each year, the Department shall report to the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore the following information regarding the Public Safety Apprenticeship Program:
(i)
the number and location of recruitment and outreach events that the Program hosted and participated in;
(ii)
the number of active youth and young adults who participated in at least 60% of the activities hosted by the Explorers Post broken down by sex, age, race, and ethnicity;
(iii)
the curriculum, modules, and other learning materials that were used for programming to build character, develop leadership, and develop an appreciation for community service and good citizenship;
(iv)
the number of youth and young adults selected to participate in the public safety internship broken down by sex, age, race, and ethnicity; and
(v)
the number of youth and young adults hired into the Public Safety Cadet Post broken down by sex, age, race, and ethnicity.
(2)
The information required under paragraph (1) of this subsection:
(i)
may not include participants’ names; and
(ii)
shall be disaggregated by race and gender.
(b)Other reporting requirements.
On or before June 30 of each year, the Department shall report the to the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore the following information from the previous fiscal year:
(1)
the total amount of funds that were appropriated to the Public Safety Apprenticeship Program;
(2)
the remaining balance of unused funds that were appropriated to the Public Safety Explorers Post;
(3)
the administrative, operational, and programming costs associated with the public safety internship;
(4)
the administrative, personnel, and training costs associated with the Public Safety Cadet Post; and
(5)
the personnel cost to staff the Public Safety Apprenticeship Program with uniformed personnel.
(c)Publication of reports.
On or before June 30 of each year, the Baltimore City Fire Department shall publish copies of the reports described in this section on the Department’s website.
History: Ord. 22-147