Bellevue will not be applying for a grant to fund a new police officer position if officials follow their own directive.

Safety committee chairman David Gillingham Jr. made a motion at council’s regular meeting Tuesday to apply for a COPS grant that would provide funding for a new police officer for three years. Gillingham, however, could not answer questions about whether the borough would have to pick up the tab for the officer after the 36-months funding period.

Council member Linda Woshner asked whether Bellevue would have to retain the officer, and if so, how the borough would pay for the additional salary and benefits.

Gillingham said that the officer could be fired after three years.

That action would constitute a violation of the grant program and open the borough to punitive action by the United States Department of Justice. Municipalities receiving COPS grants are required to maintain the positions funded by the grant for one full budget cycle after the grant ends. That means that if an officer was hired in February of 2011, the grant would pay the officer’s salary and benefits through January of 2014. The borough would have to retain the officer with local funds until Dec. 31, 2015, or for almost two additional years.

Council member Susan Viscusi asked whether retention of the officer also would be affected by the terms of the police contract or state civil service law that might make it difficult to eliminate the position. Gillingham did not have the answer to that question either.

“How can you vote on something when you don’t have all the details,” Woshner asked.

At the suggestion of solicitor Tom McDermott, council unanimously agreed to apply for the grant only if it is determined that the borough has no financial obligation after the grant ends.

Council members Lisa Blaney-Stewart and Jane Braunlich were absent.