Sen. Dean Mortimer, R-Idaho Falls, asked ISP Chief Jerry Russell if it's true that ISP still has the same number of officers patrolling today as it did in 1977. "You're right as far as our staffing level," Russell responded. He said of the current patrol force of 150 authorized positions, six are investigators, and there currently are 33 vacancies. Nine position are being held vacant due to budget cuts; seven officers are gone on military leave, "and I then have 11 that I hope to fill in this fiscal year. So that's 33 officers that are vacant." The cost to fill one of those positions is about $55,000 a year, Russell said, "But when you look at the cost of startup, it's substantial." Plus, he said, the vacancies mean bigger costs in overtime, "because somebody has to respond out there when there's that call for service, that fatal accident takes place or whatever. So it affects service and it also impacts the financial health."
 

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