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POST briefed committee on funding pressures, tuition recovery for recruits and plans for basic‑training distribution
Summary
Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) staff told the committee their dedicated fund has declined and they have relied on one‑time general fund transfers; POST described tuition payback agreements, rising costs and a working group to plan future basic‑training delivery across the state.
The Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) division presented to the Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee on Feb. 12, outlining revenue trends, training costs, and steps to address recruitment and training distribution across Idaho.
Brad Johnson, POST administrator, said POST is largely funded by dedicated fees — court fines, filing and educational fees and a recent liquor revenue transfer enacted in 2022 — and that the division has periodically relied on one‑time general fund transfers when dedicated revenues declined and costs rose. "We're almost a completely dedicated fund agency," Johnson said, noting that rising operating costs (including cafeteria and IT expenses for the Meridian campus) prompted one‑time transfers in recent years.
Committee members asked about tuition and the division’s practice of requiring service agreements. Johnson explained that recruits sign two‑year agreements; if they leave the law‑enforcement profession within that period they are responsible for training costs. He gave an example that the patrol academy tuition is about $12,000, and that the division now refers uncollected debts to a collection agency, which has raised recoveries and explains an upward trend in miscellaneous revenue tied to repayment of training costs.
POST requested modest staffing and replacement items for FY2026, including conversion of a part‑time records specialist to 0.33 FTP ($20,800) and vehicle/IT replacements. The division reported that academy turnaround time for certifications has increased from 2–4 weeks to peak times of 3–6 months, creating workload pressure for certification staff.
Johnson described a working group established by the POST Council to evaluate long‑term delivery of basic‑training statewide, including possible expansion of college‑based and regional training; the council aims to deliver a plan within about a year. Committee members asked about the potential for expanded training facilities in northern and eastern Idaho and the resources those facilities would require.
POST said it will provide the committee with updated tuition figures and additional details on revenue and expenditures as the budget process continues.
