Amends existing law to provide police officer member status to emergency communications officers.

In Idaho, emergency dispatchers are not eligible to retire until they’ve reached the Rule of 90 within PERSI, meaning their age plus years on the job equal 90. The position of a “Emergency Communications Officer” requires for them to be certified in Idaho’s Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) pursuant to IDAPA rule 11.11.01. The role of a dispatcher is often misunderstood by the general public. Idaho’s dispatchers are the lifeline to every emergency that occurs in our communities. They work the same hours as patrolmen and take on similar stress and trauma from taking emergency calls from the public. Dispatchers need the ability to multi-task and think critically, while working long hours, in order to be respond effectively for the Idaho public. The purpose of this legislation is to include Idaho’s dispatchers into the PERSI’s Rule of 80 system to retain and incentivize our law enforcement’s front line workers. This piece of legislation amends Idaho Code, 59-1303, to add “Emergency Communications Officers” into police officer membership status for Idaho State Police, county law enforcement and city law enforcement.