Nesquehoning’s part-time police officers are getting a bump in pay to try to attract and keep officers on staff.

On Wednesday, Nesquehoning Borough Council voted to ratify a new pay scale for part-time police officers. The action was recommended by the borough public safety committee in March, but the pandemic delayed the final vote until council’s April meeting.

Council President David Hawk said the action is to stay competitive with other area municipalities in recruiting and retaining part-time officers.

Nesquehoning currently has three part-time officers on its police force.

The new pay scale is new hires will be paid $16 per hour and jump to $18 per hour after they get their MOPETC and weapon certification.

Once they are a field trained officer who is stand-alone qualified for duty, their pay will increase to $22 an hour. Six months after that, their rate raises to $22.50 per hour, and one year after stand-alone qualified status, their hourly pay again increases to $23.

Council has been discussing the need for a more competitive pay scale for part-time police officers for months after the borough has had a hard time keeping part-time officers since they typically take shifts in multiple municipalities.