The Lansford Civil Service Commission will be asking borough council to update the ordinance regarding police testing standards.

The fledgling commission met Monday morning to discuss the testing procedures and ways to improve them, as the borough is seeking applicants for full-time police officers.

One of the issues with the last round of testing was the physical agility test for officers, Chairman John Zym said. All of the candidates failed to run the 1.5 miles in the allotted time, he said.

Another issue was that the commission, which has all new members, was first given the Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission training standards, he said.

The officers were preparing to meet those standards, when the commission learned that it had to test to the standards in the borough ordinance, which exceed the MPOETC standards.

Zym pointed out the Pennsylvania State Police use the MPOETC standards, which are graded for age and gender.

The commission is recommending the borough adopt the MPOETC standards, which are also the standards used for the Act 120 police academy for municipal police officers.

The commission is also recommending that instead of the 1.5 mile run that the borough use the “dead man drag.”

The commission would also like to change the testing order, putting the physical agility portion of the test first.

If candidates are unable to pass the physical portion, they are eliminated from selection and don’t go on to the written and oral testing.

The commission is asking for the order to be physical agility, written and oral.

They commission plans to hold future testing at the Narrow Valley Sports Complex, which in an indoor facility which ensures that all candidates test under the same conditions, Zym said.

They will continue to use the Lansford American Legion’s banquet hall, which is separate from the bar area, for written and oral testing.

The commission is also asking the borough for $5,000 to retain an attorney.

Council approved $500 for an attorney, which Zym said amounted to two and half hours of legal advice at the going rate of $192 an hour.

The commission also wants a dedicated secretary for clerical work, and chain of custody for the applications. The commission wants a locked filing cabinet to protect the application.

The commission also wants member Steve Foster removed. Foster has not attended meetings or responded to the chairman’s attempt to contact him, hobbling the commission.

The commission would like Keath Lowry, an alternate member, seated in Foster’s position.

They would also like the commission added to the borough’s website, allowing people to know who serves on the panel and when they meet.