Lansford’s former police chief can purchase his gun, as the borough trades in police service weapons.

The borough purchased new eight new Glock pistols for its officers earlier this year, and will be trading in the older weapons.

Former chief Jack Soberick’s gun is among those older weapons. Soberick turned in his gun and badge when he retired in May 2022.

Councilwoman Michele Bartek said that they can’t gift the gun to Soberick, who is now a borough councilman and works as a county detective.

“If Jack was just retired, it’s one thing,” Bartek said during Tuesday’s committee meetings. “But because Jack is working for the government, that is considered bribery. You can call the ethics board. They will tell you that we cannot do that.”

Bartek also said she consulted with the state boroughs association and the borough solicitor, saying it would be against the law to gift the gun to Soberick.

She explained that if Soberick wanted to buy the gun, he would have to meet the current police Chief Kyle Woodward at the gun shop, and pay the transfer fee to the shop and write a check for $335 to the borough.

Bartek said that she got an email from Soberick, who was not in attendance at the committee meetings, saying he wasn’t sure that he could purchase the gun due to outstanding issues with his pension.

Bartek wants council to vote on sending Soberick a letter, giving him two weeks to decide if he wants to purchase the gun. If the answer is no, then the borough would include his gun in the trade-in with the other police guns, she said.

The borough is expecting to get $2,345 for the seven weapons it’s trading in, and would get credit for another $335 for Soberick’s gun, if he does not buy it back, Bartek said.

Bartek and Councilwoman Gwyneth Collevechio agreed that they should request Soberick’s answer in writing.

Council members already discussed giving Soberick his badge, which has his Municipal Police Officers Education and Training Commission number on it, she said.

“He is entitled to it, because of his MPOETC number being on the back,” Bartek said. “It’s no good to anybody else.”

Council President Bruce Markovich said that they always given retired chiefs’ their badges.

Bartek said she still would like it on council’s agenda for next week for a vote. She would also like to present him with a letter of thanks or plaque for his service.

On Thursday, Soberick said that he offered to buy his gun the day he retired. He repeated that offer to two mayors, an acting chief and also announced the same at a council meeting.

Soberick said the gun does have significant sentimental value, and that most police departments give their retired chiefs their guns as a retirement tribute.