Walnutport plans to add two more full-time police officers to beef up its short-handed department.

On a 6-0 vote, borough council on Thursday agreed to hire two full-time officers from Civil Service pending background checks and certification requirements.

Currently, the department has three full-time officers: Sgt. Jason Nothstein, officer-in-charge, and patrol officers Scott Ledo and Nicholas Hartman.

Nothstein said one of the full-time police officers who is expected to be hired is finished with the police academy, and that he would like to have that person start training within a month.

The department’s potential fifth full-time police officer is about to start the academy, he said.

Also on Thursday, council agreed to allow sponsorship of a full-time police officer when one steps forward.

“We are lacking in applications for a full-time position,” Nothstein said, adding a question the department typically gets asked from interested candidates is, ‘Will you pay for my academy?’ “It’s not a contractual, just something to try to attract more eligibility.”

Nothstein said the cost to attend the Allentown Police Academy is $6,000.

“Going through all this process with Civil Service, the interest wasn’t there,” he said.

After the meeting, Nothstein said that when they tested in September, they only had two applicants. In the round they just tested, they had six applicants, but only two showed up for the test, he said.

Council President Michael Gaston said council agreeing to sponsor a full-time officer doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a long-term deal.

“It may only be a short-term fix,” Gaston said. “Because the demand is not there anymore.”

Nothstein noted that the state does reimburse a percentage to municipalities, and added the sponsorship would only go for somebody who is willing to do all the Civil Service requirements, including taking the written test, going through the oral test, and that upon background investigation if they pass, would certify the civil service list and bring that to council for a hire, as only then would the sponsorship kick in.

He added after the meeting that there are no plans of adding anymore than the two full-timers, which would take the department up to five full-timers.

Instead, Nothstein said it’s merely in the event that if one of the full-timers were to leave, they can get the ball rolling to start the process that there’s no question.

He said they have to be hired by borough council in order for that to happen.

Earlier in the meeting, resident Ron Bauer Jr. told council of his preference if council eventually decides to name a police chief to replace former Chief Pete Wayda.

“I strongly encourage this council that you promote from within,” Bauer said. “Promote from within because you got a good group of guys.”

Councilman Harold Greene was absent.

Council appointed Nothstein as officer-in-charge effective June 29, 2024, after police Wayda left.

Wayda used accumulated time from June 28 until his retirement this month.