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POST warns dedicated-fund shortfalls, seeks staffing and training fixes as recruit numbers slowly recover
Summary
Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) told lawmakers dedicated fund revenues have been strained, that academy enrollment dipped during COVID and is rebounding, and requested a technical records specialist and equipment replacements while a working group studies long-term basic-training delivery.
Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) briefed the Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee on Feb. 12 about funding pressures, training capacity and curriculum updates as the state’s law-enforcement training landscape evolves.
Brad Johnson, POST administrator, said the agency remains primarily funded from dedicated fees and fines but has needed one-time general-fund transfers in recent years to cover costs such as cafeteria contracts and inflation-driven increases in operating expenses. Johnson said the agency’s cash position has improved in recent months but that FY2026 will require close monitoring of dedicated revenues.
POST’s current allocation includes 30.67 FTP with two vacancies reported as of last year. Johnson and Legislative Services analyst Noah Peterson described a recent history of lower enrollment after COVID and a cancelled patrol academy, followed by a gradual rebound; Johnson noted that POST trains officers already employed by agencies, plus certified college programs and agency-run basic academies.
Specific requests and operational details presented included: - A technical records specialist: POST requested converting a current part-time role to 0.33 FTP and $20,800 in personnel funding to reduce certification processing backlogs. Peterson said certification turnaround at peak times has stretched to three to six months from the two-to-four-week turnaround typical several years ago. - Replacement vehicles and IT equipment: A 2001 15-passenger van (primarily used to transport students) and a half-ton pickup were proposed for replacement (total one-time request around $111,600); IT replacement items were requested per OITS recommendations (about $61,600). - Tuition and training-payback rules: Johnson explained POST’s two-year agreement requiring students who leave the profession within the agreement to repay training costs; patrol academy full cost to the agency is roughly $12,000 per student, Johnson said. POST is using collection agencies more actively to collect unpaid training agreements, which has raised miscellaneous revenue collections.
Johnson described ongoing curriculum updates, including a recent job-task analysis and rewrites of patrol curriculum to emphasize officer wellness and contemporary tasks. The POST council created a working group to evaluate long-term basic-training delivery across the state—looking at agency, college and POST-provided training—and Johnson said the group aims to present recommendations within about a year.
Committee members asked about regional training capacity, a proposed training track at North Idaho College and whether expanded college-based delivery would require additional facility investments. Johnson said most college programs lack required training facilities, and the working group will consider infrastructure needs as it develops recommendations.
No formal committee votes were taken on POST’s request during the hearing; POST staff said they would provide additional budget and tuition details to committee members on request.
