Palmerton may create a new rank position within its police department.

To further streamline that process, the borough's Civil Service Commission on Thursday approved amendments to the rules and regulations with regard to applications for promotion within its police department.The amendments state that applications for promotion to the rank of corporal, sergeant and captain are required to have served as full-time police officers of the borough for a minimum of three years.After the deadline for accepting all applications, and after the promotional examination, should there be no qualified candidates, the commission may seek applications from people who do not meet the criterion, both from within and from outside of the department."It has been the request of the Police Benevolent Association for many years to make some sort of a rank advancement available within the department," borough Manager Rodger Danielson said."If followed through, it would hope that it would help the chief and management of the daily activities of the department."Danielson added that the commission's recommendation will be sent to borough council for its review.Borough council is next scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. Thursday.