Lansford Borough Council narrowed its search for a new police chief to six candidates, its president said during a council meeting Wednesday night.

The borough received 13 applications, Bruce Markovich, council president, said, and council reviewed those and decided on six to interview.

Markovich said he is working with Councilman Jack Soberick, a retired borough police chief, on getting three police chiefs together to interview the six candidates and rate them.

Council will then conduct its own interviews with the chief candidates, he said.

“The only other issue we’re having right now is we need somebody to do the background checks,” Markovich said.

Councilwoman Michele Bartek said that she may know a firm in the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton area that does background checks, and would get Markovich the phone number on Thursday morning.

The borough has been without a police chief since Kyle Woodward left at the end of March. Council started its search for a replacement in February.

SOPs/cameras

Borough Solicitor Robert Yurchak said that the police Standard Operating Procedures need to be updated. The last time that was done was 2009, and this should be done every three to four years, he said.

He requested the authority to work with the mayor and the police department on getting an update done, and council voted to do so.

A body camera policy was also ready to adopt, Yurchak said. He explained that Woodward, before leaving, had proposed a policy, which came before council, and then was sent to the police union for review and suggestions.

“We’ve incorporated all those suggestions into the policy,” Yurchak said. “This is now ready for adoption. I understand that we’re going to have to include this in the SOPs when we finally do it.

“But by the same token, I think it’s important that we get it done,” he said, “so that it helps with the officers’ safety and security.”

Councilwoman Jennifer Staines said that they hadn’t seen the policy or read it yet, and Councilman Joseph Butrie also said he did not get a copy. Bartek said they got a copy, but Soberick said they had copies but not with the updates.

Council tabled action on the body camera policy, but agreed to place it on the agenda for the next meeting, which would be in July. However, if a special meeting is held before the regular meeting, the policy would be included on that agenda.

Police hires

Council did not act on hiring any additional full-time police officers. The Civil Service Commission was expected to submit a list of names for council to consider Wednesday night, but no hires appeared on the agenda.

Civil Service Chairman John Zym said before the meeting that he submitted a list to the borough secretary Tuesday to be added to council’s agenda.

Markovich said that Zym did submit a list for council to consider, but there were issues regarding how the list was done in regard to Civil Service rules. A second list was submitted, but again, there was an issue, he said.