Weatherly Borough Council took the first steps to bolster its police force, reactivating its civil service commission.

Several residents on Wednesday night raised concerns about the police coverage after noticing fewer patrols and learning that some officers had left.

Mayor and Council President Michael Bellizia explained that they were a pro-police council and want 24-hour coverage, but it was true that the police force was down officers.

“All municipalities of our size face the same problem in trying to find officers that are willing to take the pay, because they can go elsewhere for more money,” he said.

Bellizia pointed to two agenda items to reengage the civil service commission, which is a borough panel that oversees police testing and produces an eligibility list from which council hires officers.

Residents wanted to know if they would replace those officers who left.

“We will do whatever we can afford to do,” Bellizia said. “We will make every step to do it.”

Another resident, Robert MacLachlan, asked if the borough had 24/7 police coverage, and what the staffing situation was. Bellizia asked Police Chief Michael Bogart, who attends council meetings, to address the concerns.

The borough does not have 365/24/7 coverage, the chief said, and staffing is down to four full-time officers and three part-time officers — one of which just received a job offer.

MacLachlan pressed on, asking if they worked eight- or 10-hour shifts, and if they offered overtime to fill the gaps.

“I won’t even worry about the operational security right now,” Bogart said in response to staffing concerns. “We adjusted at the beginning of the year to go to eight-hour shifts.”

The officers previously worked 10-hour shifts, providing an overlap of some shifts, but since Brian Markovchick, the former police chief, left in July, officers had been working overtime to provide 24-hour coverage.

That practice stopped at the end of the year, Bogart said.

Residents raised concerns about having fewer officers on to respond, because they also respond to ambulance calls, providing lifesaving measures to people until out-of-town ambulance services arrive.

Bogart invited anyone who had questions to call him, and he’d be willing to sit down and talk with them, he said.

“My guys do run ambulance calls. I’ve had guys doing CPR for 30 minutes, 45 minutes,” Bogart said. “I assure you when we are here, we’re at 100%. We’re doing everything we can.

“It’s just we’re short-staffed and single officers on,” he said. “It’s very difficult.”

Later in the meeting, council set terms and filled a vacancy on the Civil Service Commission to begin the process of hiring more officers.

Bellizia spoke to one member, Jerome Grega, who was willing to continue, but couldn’t reach another member, Lori Ursta, he said. Bogart reached out to Ursta during the meeting, and she confirmed that she was still interested.

Council also established that Bellizia could not serve, as the borough’s civil service rules don’t permit a council member, even those state law does.

Bellizia asked if anyone in attendance was interested in serving and MacLachlan volunteered.

Council set the terms as Grega, six years; Ursta, four years; and MacLachlan, two years.

Council also authorized the commission to create a civil service list.