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In 1969, through a combination of surplus state liquor funds and the General Fund, the legislature established the Idaho Law Enforcement Planning Commission, or LEPC, and authorized a POST program in Idaho through Senate Bill #1265. The goal was to create an organization that would provide basic and in-service training for police officers in the State of Idaho, along with a mechanism to reimburse agencies for salaries and living expenses incurred while attending basic training. It was a very modest beginning, with a staff of three and an operating budget of about $50K. A modest but crucial beginning, as they took that initial investment and rolled out the first Basic Academy in January 1970 with an enrollment of 32 law enforcement officers from around the state.
Today POST provides basic training and certification for nine law enforcement disciplines, delivering 19 basic training academy classes a year, and operates on an annual budget of $5.4M with a staff of 31. Our vision remains as relevant and important as ever: to develop skilled law enforcement professionals who are committed to serving and protecting the people in Idaho. We achieve that by following our core values of Accountability, Collaboration, Innovation, Integrity, Customer Service, and Safety.
Organizationally, POST operates at the direction of the Governor-appointed POST Council and is organized and funded as a Division of the Idaho State Police. POST relies on dedicated funds and federal grant programs to operate.
The Idaho POST Academy has been accredited by the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (IADLEST) since May 2022 and holds the coveted Award of Excellence for significantly exceeding accreditation standards.
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