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POST warns of funding pressure, enrollment changes and proposes staff and replacement items; working group to review basic training delivery
Summary
Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) told the legislature its dedicated fund revenues have declined, requiring temporary general-fund transfers in recent years; POST seeks a technical record specialist, equipment replacement and will participate in a working group to reassess basic training delivery across the state.
The committee received the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) budget presentation on Wednesday, where agency leaders described constrained dedicated revenues, recent one-time general-fund transfers and plans to convene a working group to study the future delivery of basic law-enforcement training in Idaho.
Legislative analyst Noah Peterson and POST Administrator Brad Johnson outlined revenue trends and recent transfers. Peterson noted that House Bill 469 of 2022 changed liquor revenue transfers, leading to a liquor fund contribution that began in FY2023; he said the POST fund has required occasional one-time general fund transfers in recent years to cover unexpected costs such as cafeteria contract increases and inflation. Brad Johnson told the committee POST would provide the committee with updated tuition and program-cost figures on request.
POST clarified its tuition-repayment policy and academy costs. Administrator Johnson explained the two-year agreement signed by academy students: "each student that attends the academy signs a 2 year agreement in which they agree that if they leave the law enforcement profession, and leave their certified position within that 2 years, that they agree that they will pay back, all or some of a portion of the training that the state has paid for for them to attend that training." Johnson added that the patrol academy costs about $12,000 per student.
Key requests and operational notes
- Technical record specialist: POST requested conversion of a current part-time role to a 0.33 FTP (net) and $20,800 in personnel costs to reduce certification processing time. The division said turnaround for certifications has increased from an average 2–4 weeks several years ago to 3–6 months at peak.
- Replacement items: POST requested $111,600 one-time to replace a 15-passenger van and half-ton pickup (van acquired 02/2001, 47,000 miles; pickup acquired 2013, 127,000 miles). The agency also requested $61,600 for IT replacement items (laptops, desktops, monitors) per OITS recommendations.
- Revenues and fund shifts: POST is largely funded by dedicated fees (court fines distribution, fingerprint and filing fees, educational and dormitory fees) and the new liquor fund transfer. Peterson noted POST spent roughly 79–99% of appropriations over recent years and that COVID-related impacts and inflation produced a need for supplemental funding in past years.
- Enrollment, training delivery and working group: POST enrollment dropped during the COVID period and has been recovering. The post council created a working group to examine basic training delivery statewide (agency-run academies, college programs and regional providers). Johnson said the working group aims to present recommendations within a year.
What members asked for
Committee members asked POST for precise tuition numbers by program, details on the recently increased collections from repayment agreements (collections now routed to an agency collection process), and a fuller breakdown of which entities are delivering basic training across the state. Johnson said POST will provide the data and coordinate with the post council working group to present a plan to the committee.
The presentation closed with the committee and POST agreeing to follow up on funding forecasts and training-delivery options before final budget votes.
