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POST briefs JFAC on funding, tuition repayment and plans to modernize basic training delivery
Summary
The Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) administrator described funding pressures, steadying revenue and a working group to consider changes to basic training delivery as enrollment recovers; POST also explained tuition repayment agreements for recruits who leave within two years.
The administrator for Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) told the Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee on Feb. 12 that POST faces continuing funding pressure even as some revenue streams have improved and enrollment in basic academies begins to recover.
Brad Johnson, POST administrator, described the agency’s role in providing basic training, certification and oversight for multiple law-enforcement disciplines. He explained that POST is funded largely by dedicated fees — including a $15 court fee, fingerprint and filing fees, academy tuition, dormitory fees and a 1.5% transfer from annual liquor revenue established by House Bill 469 (2022) — and said those revenues had declined for several years, prompting occasional one-time general-fund transfers to maintain operations.
Johnson and Legislative Services analyst Noah Peterson said POST’s dedicated fund has recently shown some month-to-month improvement. POST requested a technical conversion of a current part-time records specialist to a 0.33 FTP full-time role ($20,800) to reduce backlogs in certifications; Johnson said turnaround on certification processing has increased from approximately 2–4 weeks several years ago to as long as 3–6 months at peak times.
On tuition repayment, Johnson explained that students who attend POST sign a two-year agreement: if they leave their certified law-enforcement position within that period they are liable to repay training costs. Representative Miller and Senator Cook asked for the repayment amounts; Johnson said costs vary by program length — for example, patrol academy tuition is roughly $12,000 — and that POST has begun using collection agencies to collect previously uncollected obligations, which has increased miscellaneous revenue reported to the fund.
Committee members asked about enrollment and the broader delivery of basic training across the state. Johnson said POST does not recruit or hire officers — agencies send students to POST — but POST is updating curriculum (including officer wellness and suicide awareness), conducting a job-task analysis for patrol that will rewrite the basic patrol curriculum, and participating in a post-council working group to study the future of basic training delivery and possible expansion to college or local programs. The working group aims to present a plan within about a year.
Johnson also described replacement-item requests (a 15-passenger van and pickup) and IT equipment updates recommended by OITS. He said POST’s dedicated fund saw a spike in FY2023 from a mix of one-time appropriations (for example, driving simulators) and supplemental support for revenue shortfalls, and that the division will continue to monitor revenues and spending closely for FY2026.
No formal votes were taken on POST items during the hearing; committee members requested additional data on tuition amounts for specific programs and more complete revenue/expenditure schedules.
