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POST seeks staff, vehicle and IT replacements as revenues rebound; council forms basic‑training working group
Summary
Brad Johnson, POST administrator, told the Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee on Feb. 12 that POST requests converting a part‑time records specialist to full time, replacement of a 2001 15‑passenger van and updated IT equipment to improve certification turnaround and training operations.
Brad Johnson, administrator of the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) academy, told the Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee on Feb. 12 that POST is seeking a technical records specialist (net 0.33 FTP, $20,800) to reduce certificate turnaround times and is requesting one‑time replacement funding for vehicles and IT equipment.
Analyst Noah Peterson described POST’s revenue mix, which includes a $15 fee on court fines and forfeitures, fingerprint and filing fees, tuition and facility fees, and a liquor‑fund transfer created by House Bill 469 (1.5% of annual liquor revenues). Peterson noted that POST has relied on occasional one‑time general‑fund transfers in recent years to cover shortfalls, including a one‑time supplemental to cover cafeteria costs at the Meridian campus and an earlier general‑fund transfer to cover revenue shortfalls tied to COVID and inflation.
POST administrator Brad Johnson said the agency has increased collections from former students who left during a required probationary period after the agency began referring unpaid training agreements to a collection agency. “For example, the patrol academy cost is currently about $12,000 per student,” Johnson said, describing the range of academy lengths and associated tuition costs. Johnson said the increase in collectible agreements explains much of the rise in miscellaneous revenue for POST.
Lawmakers asked about enrollment trends and basic‑training capacity. Johnson said POST does not recruit or hire officers — it trains students sent by agencies and college programs — and described a downward enrollment dip during the COVID period with numbers now beginning to recover. He told members a Post Council working group is conducting a job‑task analysis and will draft a plan for how basic training is delivered across the state; the working group expects to present recommendations within about a year.
Representative Mitchell asked about a 2001 15‑passenger van with low miles that POST requested to replace; Johnson said the van is used to transport students to off‑campus training and, despite relatively low miles, it is 24 years old and in rough condition. POST also seeks smaller IT replacements (laptops, desktops, monitors) as recommended by OITS.
Committee members requested documentation of tuition amounts and of POST’s recent revenue and collection activity; POST staff said they would supply the committee with updated tuition figures and follow up on trends as requested.
