Police officials say the New Hampshire Police Standards and Training Council, responsible for training every law enforcement officer in the state, is in "financial crisis."
Capt. Benjamin R. Jean, PSTC support bureau commander, tells The Portsmouth Herald that there are two main reasons for the council's dire financial state.
First, Jean says, was the removal of millions of dollars from the PSTC's budget to put toward the state's general fund.
The second is the dwindling assistance the council receives from penalty assessments, or fees added to traffic tickets and fines for criminal convictions.
Jean says the PSTC's budget for running the police academy has been "declining year after year."
The academy is continuing to train officers, but staff and program cuts have been deemed necessary for its survival.
