Bannock County sheriff outlines budget requests including license‑plate readers, training and rifle‑rated vests; jail budget falls

Sheriff Tony Manu told the Bannock County Board of Commissioners during a budget hearing that the county's overall proposed increase is about $5,529,000 and detailed line‑item requests for the sheriff's office and jail, including two license‑plate readers to join the City of Pocatello's network, new rifle‑rated ballistic vests and expanded training resources.

Manu said the sheriff's office is "pretty proud of this budget," while noting some safety‑driven needs that prevented deeper cuts. He highlighted a mix of contractual cost increases and one‑time equipment purchases and described mental‑health care needs among inmates as an immediate operational pressure: "mental health is killing us," he said.

Why it matters: The sheriff's requests would add new surveillance and dispatch technology, shift some personnel pay structures, and replace critical equipment that county officials say has safety implications. At the same hearing commissioners were told the jail's operating budget decreased by about $79,000 year over year, largely from savings in day‑to‑day jail operations.

Key budget highlights and explanations

- Sheriff's app and emergency integration: Manu said the sheriff's office budget includes a $9,700 annual fee for a department app that the office expects will support jail rosters, warrants lookups and community alerts. The app also includes fields for the county's emergency management staff to post information.

- Training and FTO incentives: The sheriff's training (education) line shows an increase of $19,250 to pay for…