Havre de Grace Volunteer Emergency Response Team Joins City Police Department

A team of 25 trained volunteers has officially become a division of the Havre de Grace Police Department in Havre de Grace, Maryland, Patch reported. Mayor William T. Martin signed legislation establishing the Community Emergency Response Team, known as CERT, as an official police division. The team assists local police and emergency personnel during community events and public safety emergencies. [1]

The volunteer response program began in October 2025 as a neighborhood effort in Bulle Rock before expanding across the city, according to The Harford County Sun as cited by Patch. The initial class of CERT volunteers completed their official training and graduated on Feb. 5, the Havre de Grace Police Department reported. [1]

Emergency response teams are groups designated before an incident occurs to assist in managing natural disasters, community emergencies, or operational interruptions. These teams are frequently integrated into public service organizations or drawn from volunteer cohorts to support municipal public safety operations. [8]