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POST seeks funding stability and curriculum updates as dedicated revenues decline
Summary
The Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) administrator told the Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee that dedicated revenues have lagged while training costs rose; POST asked for modest staffing and replacement items and a working group will develop a statewide plan for basic training delivery within about a year.
Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Administrator Brad Johnson and Legislative Services analysts told the Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee on Feb. 12 that POST faces revenue pressures while statewide demand for basic and in‑service training grows.
Johnson said POST is largely supported by dedicated fees—$15 court fines, filing fees, dormitory and training fees and a liquor fund transfer enacted in House Bill 469 (2022). When revenues fell and certain costs rose, the division received one‑time general fund transfers in recent years to cover shortfalls. POST reported higher month‑to‑month dedicated revenues in recent months but officials said they would monitor FY2026 spending closely.
POST requested a technical record specialist (0.33 FTP, $20,800) to reduce certification turnaround times that have stretched from 2–4 weeks to 3–6 months at peak. The division also requested replacement vehicles and IT equipment: a 15‑passenger van (15‑seat van acquired in 2001, 47,000 miles), a half‑ton pickup and $61,600 for OITS‑recommended IT replacement items. Johnson said the patrol academy tuition is roughly $12,000 per student and that POST sends unpaid breach agreements to collections; collection activity has recently increased miscellaneous revenue.
Johnson described POST’s broader responsibilities beyond its Meridian academy: certifying and, when necessary, decertifying officers across nine law‑enforcement disciplines; maintaining standards established by the Idaho POST Council; coordinating regional training; and approving college‑ and agency‑based basic‑training programs. The POST Council created a working group to develop a strategic plan for statewide basic training delivery; Johnson said the group intends to return with recommendations within about a year.
Committee members pressed for detail about revenue trends, repayment agreements and whether local partners (municipalities, colleges) should assume more of the cost for basic training. Johnson said those policy questions are part of the working group’s scope. The committee asked POST to supply precise tuition tables, repayment amounts and documentation on recent general‑fund transfers and collections.
