Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
JFAC funds Idaho State Police hiring, equipment and Fairfield trooper housing
Summary
JFAC approved a package of personnel additions, equipment replacements and a remote housing supplemental for Idaho State Police, including targeted pay steps for commissioned and forensic staff and a $268,100 one-time general fund payment for a trooper housing unit in Fairfield.
The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee approved multiple Idaho State Police (ISP) budget items including a supplemental $268,100 one-time general fund payment for a remote housing unit to be placed on a foundation in Fairfield, and a larger FY2026 package adding personnel, equipment replacement and pay adjustments for ISP programs and the Idaho Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Academy.
Why it matters: the ISP package funds investigative capacity, forensic lab management, fleet and body-worn-equipment replacements, and targeted pay increases and personnel transfers designed to sustain statewide law enforcement coverage and forensic services. The remote housing unit addresses recruitment and retention challenges in remote patrol areas by providing housing for troopers where local options are limited.
Details passed on the record include: - A supplemental motion (mover: Senator Carlson) to provide $268,100 one-time from the general fund for a remote housing unit in Fairfield. The motion passed (committee total: 17 ayes, 2 nays, 2 absent/excused; Representative Miller declared a conflict and was excused from voting). - A comprehensive ISP package (mover: Senator Woodward) that added a set of FTPs and funding shifts across several ISP programs: converting and adding fleet-service positions (2 FTP), creating a special investigations unit to investigate crimes at IDOC facilities (3 FTP added in motions; committee discussion referenced 4 FTP requests), adding a forensic deputy lab manager (1 FTP), transferring digital-forensics personnel into the forensics program (2 FTP shift), a shift of $5,205,800 from the Idaho Law Enforcement Fund to the general fund (net zero agency-wide impact), $233,000 for an ILETS disaster recovery database, SORNA compliance grant of $50,000 (federal), replacement items (vehicles, body armor, firearms) totaling $5,090,700, IT hardware ~$942,800, and a targeted 6% salary increase for commissioned officers and forensic staff ($716,400). That package passed (Senate 9–1; House 9–0; total 18–1).
Analysts said the Fairfield housing unit plan changed since the original budget submission; ISP notified DFM and LSO in December and the governor recommended the item. Committee discussion noted the housing unit will be placed on a foundation rather than as originally proposed.
The POST Academy (grouped with ISP) received approval to convert a part-time technical records specialist to a 0.33 FTE increase and funding for vehicle replacement and IT hardware: $111,600 replacement items and $61,600 IT hardware, funded from dedicated funds. The Post Academy motion passed (Senate 9 ayes, 1 nay; House 9 ayes, 0 nays; total 18–1).
What the motions do not do: members noted that some ISP enhancement requests had been adjusted from the agency’s original submission; motions reflected committee work-group compromises. The law enforcement fund to general fund shift is described in the motion as a financing mechanics change for this year and related to previously adopted CEC actions.
Ending: The committee forwarded due-pass recommendations on the ISP supplemental and FY2026 package; staff will implement transfers and personnel changes according to the adopted motions and the agency’s budget execution plan.
