Col. Jerry Russell, director of the Idaho State Police, told legislative budget writers this morning that he can only categorize ISP's service level now as "satisfactory," in the wake of deep budget cuts. "ISP is not doing more with less," Russell told JFAC. The agency's "modest" 24-hour patrol coverage has been reduced, as has the number of miles that patrols cover; its Special Weapons and Tactics Team and its Crowd Intervention Team have "stood down" due to lack of funding; and criminal investigations and department technology have been impacted. "Each of these actions is absolutely defensible as a budget strategy," Russell said. "However, reduced resources, lowered standards or other necessary actions with negative impacts have a predictable consequence."

The state police currently have 18 unfunded positions; 14 are for commissioned officers. Gov. Butch Otter is recommending a 10.6 percent increase in state general funds for ISP for next year, but a drop in total funds of 0.4 percent. ISP is proposing seven pieces of legislation this session, including one to provide a new revenue stream to fund its Alcohol Beverage Control function, tapping alcohol beverage license fees to expand a constitutionally mandated function that Russell said has been "woefully understaffed and under-equipped for years." It's also proposing several fee measures, including two for additional fees on offenders.