SECTION 1. Notwithstanding the provisions of chapter 31 of the General Laws, any person who has completed not less than two years of service as a police cadet in the police department of the city of Worcester under the provisions of section 21A of chapter 147 of the general Laws may, subject to a program established by the Worcester chief of police and approved by the personnel administrator of the human resources division within the executive office for administration and finance, the Municipal Training Committee and the Division of Police Certification within the Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission, and subject further to certification by said commission, be appointed to fill vacancy in a position in the lowest grade in the police force of said city without certification from an eligible list prepared under the provisions of chapter 31 of the Generals Laws; provided, however, that such person either is on a police entrance eligible list prepared under said chapter or passes a qualifying examination to be given by said personnel administrator. Such program shall include provision for recruitment of applicants for appointment as police cadets in said city and for appointment from an eligible list prepared after a competitive examination administered under the supervision of the chief of police. Appointments from such list may, at the discretion of the city manager, be made on a selective basis for the purposes of affirmative action in the employment of females and minorities as police cadets.

SECTION 2. Notwithstanding the provisions of chapter 147, section 21A to the contrary, the eligible ages for appointment as a police cadet in the city of Worcester shall not be less than eighteen nor more than twenty-five years of age; provided further that the age when an appointment shall be terminated is whenever a cadet reaches the age of twenty-seven.

SECTION 3. If any federal or state, administrative or court order required the listing of candidates in separate groups, each group to be listed according to the law of the commonwealth, then this act shall be subject to such listing.

SECTION 4. Not more than 33 1/3 percent of the total number of appointments to the regular police force of the city of Worcester in any calendar year shall be made pursuant to this act. The chief of police shall report in writing forthwith to the personnel administrator in said human resources division within the executive office for administration and finance any appointment made pursuant to this act.

SECTION 5. This act shall take effect upon its passage.