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Baltimore County announces new community policing partnership program

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Posted at 6:54 PM, Jan 28, 2022
and last updated 2022-01-28 18:54:23-05

BALTIMORE COUNTY, Md. — Baltimore County has announced a new joint initiative to build pathways for public safety-focused careers in the county.

The Community Policing Partnership is a partnership between the Baltimore County Police Department, the Baltimore County Police Academy, the Community College of Baltimore County, Baltimore County Public Schools and the Office of the County Executive.

“Baltimore County is committed to ensuring the next generation of law enforcement reflects the rich diversity of our communities and is provided with innovative and inclusive training to help prepare them to address the needs of our neighborhoods,” Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski said. “The Community Policing Partnership will coordinate efforts across County government to strategically develop pathways for modern public safety careers, continue strengthening the diversity of our workforce, and ensure Baltimore County builds a stronger future together.”

In order to do so, each of the partners are implementing efforts within their respective organizations.

  • The police department is now offering a variety of professional development opportunities that reflects a commitment to community policing, including anti-bias training, de-escalation techniques, and supporting community members experiencing a behavioral health crisis. They will also continue to support young learners through mentoring, guest lectures, and career exploration events.
  • The department is implementing a program to allow sworn police officers and cadets to enroll in an accelerated program to obtain their Associates degree in Criminal Justice from CCBC.
  • CCBC is expanding new electives to provide opportunities for students in the Criminal Justice program, including courses on community policing, civil rights, restorative justice, interpersonal communication, and mental health. They are also updating course titles and content to better align with current practices (e.g. changing “Juvenile Delinquency” to “Juvenile Justice”)
  • BCPS is expanding internship and apprenticeship opportunities with the Baltimore County Police Department and Baltimore County Public Safety Cadets; evaluating existing Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (HSEP) Career and Technical Education (CTE) curricula to better align with the necessary job skills; and expanding the HSEP career programs to new schools.