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Idaho State Police seeks new positions, lab funding and one‑time fentanyl campaign support as trooper vacancies persist
Summary
Director Col. Bill Gardner and analysts outlined ISP’s FY2026 request — including new investigators, forensic positions, and an ILETS disaster recovery site — and warned of recruitment and retention problems that have left parts of the state understaffed.
The Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee received a detailed FY2026 budget review of the Idaho State Police on Feb. 12, where agency leaders requested enhancements for forensic capacity, a special investigations unit for Department of Correction facilities, fleet and housing support for remote posts, and a disaster‑recovery site for the state law‑enforcement communications system.
Noah Peterson, budget policy analyst with the Legislative Services Office, summarized the division’s request and several ongoing funding shifts. He said the division currently has 583.67 FTP allocated and reported 38.67 vacancies as of last August with an average fill rate of about 92.5% over five years. Peterson described a package of requests that included a 10‑position fentanyl unit ($1,043,300), conversion of forensic contract staff to full‑time positions, and an estimated $4,995,500 transfer tied to a Highway Distribution Account (HDA) shift to maintain patrol operations in FY2026.
Idaho State Police Director Col. Bill Gardner told the committee staffing is a central concern. "We... seized over 65,000 fentanyl pills, over a full pound of fentanyl powder, [and] 150 pounds of methamphetamine" in the past year, he said, citing recent interdiction results to explain the need for sustained investigative capacity. Gardner described localized vacancy crises in parts of northern Idaho: ‘‘we're losing people because we're not competitive in the market with our pay,’’ and he said some trooper positions receive no applications.
Key enhancement requests and agency explanations: - Fentanyl trafficking unit: 10 FTP and $1,043,300 to create a focused enforcement unit aimed at fentanyl trafficking and mitigation. Peterson said the governor also recommends $500,000 one‑time from the Millennium Fund for a public communications "fentanyl takes all" campaign; DFM clarified that recommendation is one time. - Special investigations unit for IDOC facilities: four positions and $757,300 ($443,300 ongoing; $314,000 one‑time for vehicles/computers) to investigate crimes at Department of Correction sites after Idaho State Police assumed some duties in mid‑2023. - Forensic services: requests include converting temporary contract positions to full time, a deputy lab manager (1 FTP, $118,200), and building a new Meridian forensic laboratory to consolidate and expand capacity; a small Twin Falls lab renovation was described as a district‑level addition for drug identification. - Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SACI): Peterson described hiring challenges that led the agency to propose converting planned part‑time retired officers into permanent employees so they can obtain POST certification; Peterson called this a net zero transfer but necessary for investigative privileges. - ILETS disaster recovery: a $233,000 ongoing request from the Idaho Law Enforcement Telecommunications fund for a disaster‑recovery site to preserve access to critical records if the central switch is lost. - Remote housing and fleet: supplemental request of $268,100 for a remote housing unit (originally planned for Mackay, later proposed for Fairfield) and conversion of two fleet contract positions to full time to address upfitting backlog.
Committee members pressed on pay and recruitment. Senator Woodward asked how a 55% population increase since 2002 coupled with a much smaller rise in patrol staffing affects safety; Gardner said vacancy patterns vary by region and described sending troopers temporarily between regions to cover gaps. Gardner recommended exploring administrative subpoena power for financial records in complex drug cases to speed investigations.
On lab capacity, Gardner said the Meridian build will be a "top‑of‑the‑line" facility and that forensics currently supervise about 13 direct reports under a single manager — a factor in the request for a deputy lab manager. The Sheriff’s SACI work and a new evidence‑tracking database were cited as contributing to increased casework and improved evidence processing.
No formal committee vote on ISP budget items occurred during the presentation. Analysts and agency staff said they would provide additional information on outstanding details (grant amounts, exact vacancy breakdowns, and OITS transfer specifics) after the hearing.
