The mayor of Lehighton has asked borough officials to consider a new hire for the corporal position within the police department.

Mayor Clark Ritter told borough council on Monday that the department currently has a police chief and a sergeant, and that adding a corporal would result in having another supervisor.

It was noted that the corporal position is budgeted for in this year’s budget.

Civil Service had tested for corporal in the summer of 2020, but there were no successful candidates.

Also, the potential addition of a new patrol officer was discussed.

Borough police Chief Brian Biechy noted that adding a patrol officer “would be beneficial.”

However, it was noted that the patrol officer position was not accounted for in this year’s budget.

Biechy stressed to the borough that it should give some consideration into testing, and added the borough may be testing again.

He said that in conversations he’s had with other local departments, nobody is showing up to take the tests, and added the borough may have to test again.