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Adult probation seeks funding for officer certifications and training amid staffing changes
Summary
Abby McCurry, adult probation and pretrial, asked Bannock County commissioners for roughly $9,298 to cover instructor development requirements for two officers seeking senior status and modest travel/education funding to send staff to NAPSA training tied to new CEU mandates; she also noted reduced operating costs after a firearms upgrade and that a grant‑funded part‑time position is currently unused.
Abby McCurry, who identified herself as adult probation and pretrial, described a limited set of changes to her department’s budget and asked the board to approve targeted increases.
McCurry said two probation officers are eligible to pursue senior probation officer status contingent on completing an instructor development course and related requirements; she estimated those costs at about $9,298 for both officers. "I've got two that could go to that status… that's the 9,298," she said. The department also requested a modest increase in travel and education to send two full‑time officers to a National Association of Pretrial Services Agencies (NAPSA) conference and to meet a July CEU mandate requiring RPOs to have 20 hours.
McCurry explained the operating supplies line for items such as ammunition, drug‑testing supplies and alcohol testing decreased this year because a firearms upgrade was completed; the department moved from .45s to 9mm through coordination with the sheriff’s department. She said that decrease helps absorb education and travel increases and that overall her total budget looks slightly down compared with last year.
On staffing, McCurry said a previously grant‑funded part‑time probation officer position is not currently in use because the hire was reclaimed by another department and the grant period ends in September; she said she would seek another hire if a future grant allowed it. She also reiterated support for salary increases when possible but said the department is fully staffed and performing well.
Commissioners questioned line‑item coding and timing for education versus travel expenses; McCurry said she separates registration/CEU fees (education) from airfare/hotel (travel) to track year‑to‑year costs. No formal action was taken during the hearing.
