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Peace Officer Standards and Training outlines revenue pressure, enrollment and a working group to rethink basic training delivery
Summary
POST presented its budget, noted revenue pressure that prompted recent general-fund transfers, reported rising collections on trainee repayment agreements, and described a working group to evaluate where and how basic training should be delivered across the state.
Brad Johnson, administrator of the Peace Officer Standards and Training Council (POST), told the Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee on Feb. 12 that POST is managing revenue pressures while updating curriculum and exploring how basic training is delivered statewide.
Johnson explained that POST provides certification, basic-academy training, oversight of curriculum and regional training coordination; POST also oversees decertification and administrative investigations for officer misconduct. "POST has kind of a broad based mission and many times we're referred to as the post academy, but in fact the academy is one component of our broader mission," Johnson said.
POST’s fund sources include a $15 court fee (apportioned across several offenses), filing and educational fees, dormitory charges, and a liquor-revenue transfer created by House Bill 469 (2022). Johnson and budget staff noted that POST has historically been almost entirely supported by dedicated fund revenues and that those revenues declined in recent years; the decline, combined with unusual cost spikes post-pandemic, led to several one-time general-fund transfers in recent fiscal years to cover shortfalls.
Johnson said POST’s month-to-month dedicated-fund revenue has improved over the past six months but cautioned the committee that the division must monitor spending carefully to meet FY2026 needs. Among staffing and equipment requests for FY2026, the division sought a technical records specialist (a conversion from a part-time role to 0.33 FTP, $20,800) and replacement vehicles and IT equipment (including a 15-passenger van acquired in 2001 and IT replacement items recommended by OITS).
POST reported that collections for trainee repayment agreements have increased because the division started sending unpaid agreements to collection agencies; Brad Johnson said that change produced larger recovered amounts than prior internal collection efforts. "The reason that those costs have gone up is, we had a significant number of uncollected agreements... and since the last several years we've gone to a collection agency," Johnson said. He added that repayment amounts vary by academy length and that the patrol academy tuition is currently about $12,000.
Committee members asked about enrollment trends and how to make training more accessible statewide. Johnson noted that POST does not recruit or hire officers; it trains students sent by agencies and by certified college programs, so attendance depends on employing agencies’ hiring. The POST council established a working group to consider the state’s basic-training delivery model — including possible expansion of college-based programs and additional regional facilities such as a training track at North Idaho College. Johnson said the working group aims to present a plan within about a year.
The POST presentation included discussion of funding mechanics: POST has been a primarily dedicated-fund agency and saw declining balances that prompted general-fund transfers in FY2020 and again after COVID and inflation-related cost increases. Committee members asked staff for a fuller revenue breakdown and asked analysts to compile comparable charts for other training providers.
POST concluded by asking for continued committee partnership as the council and working group develop recommendations on how to deliver basic training across Idaho.
