Full-time police officers in Lehighton will continue to work 12-hour shifts.

After an extensive executive session, borough council on Monday deadlocked on a motion to approve an addendum to the police contract for 12-hour shifts.

Council members Lisa Perry, Donnie Rehrig and council President Grant Hunsicker were in favor, with council members Autumn Abelovsky, Ryan Saunders and Rebecca Worthy opposed.

Since Councilman Darryl Arner was absent, Mayor Clark Ritter, in his capacity as mayor, voted in favor of the addendum to break the tie.

Police Chief Joe Sparich, who has since resigned, brought the matter up for discussion at council’s meeting in August.

In December, council approved an amendment to the FOP contract to allow for full-time officers’ hours to go to 12-hour shifts.

That went into effect at the start of this year.

The contract says that the union and borough could do a one-year trial period of 12-hour shifts.

Sparich said that next year’s schedule has to be completed, and that both sides have to say yes for it to continue.

Lehighton’s police department isn’t the only one in the area to agree to such a concept.

Neighboring Palmerton Borough Council in April added language to an existing agreement concerning its police department.

After a lengthy executive session, Palmerton Borough Council on a 6-1 vote approved a change in the memo of the agreement with the police department.

The motion was to add language clarifying the parties as the Palmerton Borough Council and the Palmerton Police Benevolent Association.

Councilman Andrew Hollywood cast the lone vote in opposition, and said at that time he believed it was a matter that should be dealt with at contract negotiation time.

After the meeting, borough Manager Autumn Canfield confirmed the agreement and said officers are still working 12-hour shifts.