Palmerton has added language to an existing agreement concerning its police department.

On a 6-1 vote, borough council after a lengthy executive session Thursday 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.

“I think it’s a matter that should be dealt with at contract negotiation time,” Hollywood said.

After the meeting, borough Manager Autumn Canfield explained why the action was taken.

“This was done to clarify some ambiguous language in the original agreement,” Canfield said. “The agreement still stands, and officers are still working 12-hour shifts.”

On a 6-0 vote, borough council at a special meeting in February approved a Memorandum of Understanding between the borough and the Palmerton Police Department.

Per the agreement, police officers will work 12-hour shifts for a six-month trial period, effective March 5 through the end of the trial period on Sept. 2.

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

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

That went into effect for Lehighton Police Department at the start of this year.