This week, the workgroup creating new regulations associated with the Governor’s GAPS Act of 2024 has officially convened. It aims to clarify funding availability for locals to establish and maintain certified public safety apprenticeship programs.
Governor Moore’s GAPS (Growing Apprenticeships and the Public Safety Workforce) Act of 2024 renamed the Law Enforcement Cadet Apprenticeship Program within the Department of Labor to the Public Safety Apprenticeship Program. This change brought with it a broader range of eligible public safety apprenticeships that qualify for grant funding. Legislation opened up funding opportunities from only local law enforcement cadets to now include local detention center officers, firefighters, and emergency medical responders.
In an effort to help local agencies understand how to establish a qualifying program and access funding for it, the Maryland Department of Labor has organized a series of calls to share information and receive feedback on what elements would be useful as well as undesirable.
During the 2024 legislative session, MACo advocated for and supported these provisions as well as negotiated the inclusion of detention center officers in the full scope of the legislation. As a pillar of public safety, detention centers face staffing shortfalls that are as severe, if not more so, than other public sectors. After internal stakeholders round out the strategy, it will be available for public comment and then undergo further revision and finalization.
