§ 29A-2. Program establishment.

(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.

(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.