Walnutport plans to hire a full-time officer to help round out its police department.

On a 6-0 vote, borough council on Thursday agreed to activate the Civil Service Commission to begin the process of hiring a full-time police patrol officer.

Council’s decision comes on the heels of the resignation of officer Dean Heffelfinger, who has accepted a full-time position with the Lehigh Township Police Department.

The township’s board of supervisors recently voted to offer Heffelfinger a conditional offer of employment, contingent upon his passing several tests, said township police Chief Scott Fogel.

Fogel said Heffelfinger has accepted the township’s offer at the starting officer’s salary of $24.12 an hour, with an anticipated start date of Oct. 7.

That would bring the township police department back to its full complement of 12 full-time officers, Fogel said. They do not have any part-time officers.

Heffelfinger has been a full-time officer with Walnutport’s police department for the past three years.

With his departure, Chief Pete Wayda said the department has three full-time and six part-time officers.

Heffelfinger has been with the Walnutport police department since June 2012.