Coaldale Borough Council intends to send a letter of intent to contract with Tamaqua borough for police coverage.

Coaldale has been without a department since late last year, and has been relying on Pennsylvania State Police for coverage.

During Tuesday’s meeting, Councilwoman Kim Gavornik announced the letter of intent with neighboring Tamaqua.

“That’s our next step,” she said. “It’s going in the right direction.”

Gavornik, however, noted that having the contracted services could take some time.

“It’s a process,” Gavornik explained, “because civil service is going to take a couple of months.”

Tamaqua is seeking additional officers to supplement its force and, in turn, provide coverage to Coaldale, she said.

Gavornik said three officers will be needed to provide coverage to Coaldale.

Tamaqua will keep its current coverage.

Those who apply for the positions will have to pass Civil Service requirements, including physical and agility tests, along with written and oral exams. Background checks are also needed.

“So there is a big process,” Gavornik said.

She said it could take a number of months.

During April’s Tamaqua Borough Council meeting, council President Brian Connely noted that the borough was in the early stages of discussions with Coaldale about providing police coverage.

He said Coaldale will have to pay for the coverage, but Tamaqua will not profit from it.

“We are not using it as a revenue type thing,” Connely explained at the time. “We are trying to do the best we can for our neighbor.”

At the Tamaqua meeting, council voted to advertise for police officers and authorized its Civil Service Commission to conduct a police officer exam and prepare an eligibility list with at least five candidates.

Connely also noted that Tamaqua would not “give up anything” to provide coverage to Coaldale.

“We are setting this up so that we can stay where we are with what we do in Tamaqua, if not add more, and still provide better service for Coaldale,” he said.

Also during the Coaldale meeting, council voted to sign a letter intent to have the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development study the best options for police coverage in Coaldale.

DCED’s Governor’s Center for Local Government Services will compile data at no cost to the borough and make recommendations, whether it be regionalization, contracted services, a municipal department or state police coverage.

The study could take several months, and results are nonbinding.