Lansford Borough Council could be hiring additional police officers as soon as next week.

The borough’s Civil Service Commission will be administering and scoring tests on Saturday, and council could have a list of names by their meeting on Wednesday, Council President Bruce Markovich said.

Police Chief Kyle Woodward said that potential candidates would still need to pass the physical test, polygraph, medical and background checks before being hired.

The borough could hire them conditioned on them passing the remaining tests, Markovich said.

Two potential officers will be taking the test on Saturday, he said.

The borough’s police force currently consists of four officers, including the police chief.

Councilwoman Michele Bartek wasn’t at council’s committee meetings Tuesday night, but let Markovich know that she’d like to propose raising the part-time rate to $35 an hour.

Woodward questioned whether she meant full-time, instead of part-time, because that would be a higher hourly wage than a full-time officer would be paid and the borough would have issues with the union.

Council members also weren’t sure if she meant full-time or part-time, as council raised the part-time rate to $27 an hour last month. Woodward said Bartek may have wanted to be competitive with Nesquehoning, which has one of the highest part-time rates in the area.

Both council members and residents then discussed possibly offering a higher wage for full-time officers, and take a look at reducing the benefits, such as health care.

Woodward said if an officer opts not to take health care, the borough might consider offering them $20,000 more a year — which would still save the borough $13,000 a year for family coverage.

Markovich questioned why an officer would want to give up the health care plan that the borough offers, as it’s one of the best, he said.

“They have the absolute best health care plan there is,” Markovich said.

An insurance representative recently suggested to officials that the borough form “a consortium of all the borough employees that they offer health care to and try to get it all under one plan.

“He thinks we could save a lot of money by doing that,” Markovich said.

Resident Denise Leibensperger asked what can the borough do to attract new officers, and asked if providing newer technology, such as drones, would draw young officers.

Potential officers are looking for the best packages, including higher wages and pension, Woodward said, pointing out that the borough’s latest contract doesn’t provide new officers with health care when they retire.

Woodward pointed to Jim Thorpe, where officers don’t contribute toward their pension, in addition to higher pay and other benefits.

“Unless you go regional or something, Lansford is not going to have a police department,” he said.

In a five-minute drive the other day, Woodward said he crossed through five different police jurisdictions and all of those communities are trying to offer higher pay and similar benefits to compete for the same officers.

“That’s crazy,” he said.

Fewer people want to be police officers these days, Markovich said. Woodward agreed saying that people don’t want to work nights and weekends.

Lansford’s high call volume also works against them, Woodward said, questioning why another municipality would want to send their officers into a town that’s always busy with calls.

Leibensperger asked if the borough is still looking for officers, as she hasn’t seen an opening listed on Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association where the borough planned to advertise.

Markovich said that he would check on the listing this week.

The state chiefs’ association’s website currently has listings for more than 50 police openings across the state, including Nesquehoning, Walnutport and West Penn Township.

A listing for full- and part-time officers in Lansford was posted Wednesday.