WALLACE —  Funding woes continue to grip Shoshone County, with the sheriff’s office facing nearly $1 million in proposed budget cuts. 

Shoshone County Sheriff Holly Lindsey said her department was asked to draft a “worst-case scenario” budget for the county commissioners. On Wednesday morning, after multiple meetings with her administrative team, Lindsey presented a proposal slashing $952,000, about 18% of the department’s expected annual budget. 

Most of the proposed cuts target personnel, including six patrol deputies, one dispatcher and the courthouse’s security officer. The budget for reserve officers would also be reduced by more than half. 

Lindsey warned that the cuts would have serious consequences. 

Beyond losing patrol coverage, deputies would no longer respond to domestic disputes not in progress, civil disputes and standbys, suspicious activity, VIN inspections, parking, noise and animal complaints, blight issues, neighborhood disputes or citizen-requested traffic enforcement. 

Currently, a typical daytime patrol shift includes two deputies covering opposite ends of the county, a contracted deputy for the city of Wallace, and a supervisor who assists with high call volumes or backs up the others. This does not include the sheriff, undersheriff or the department’s detective. 

Under the proposed budget, daily patrols would drop to just one deputy for the entire county. Active patrols along the North Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River and the St. Joe River region would end, allowing the lone deputy to focus on more populated areas. The department’s ability to support other agencies would also be limited. 

“Shoshone County is a little over 2,600 miles; it’s a huge county,” Lindsey said. “This is by no means a threat; it’s just the way it is.” 

Lindsey also highlighted the department’s workload and effectiveness. 

In 2024, the SCSO responded to nearly 8,000 calls, took 898 reports, and recorded 433 reportable crimes. Data from the Idaho State Police shows Shoshone County ranked second in the state for crime rate and third for clearance rate, with an 80.8% clearance. 

“Our team is doing their job. They’re putting people away, they’re filing charges, they’re making arrests,” Lindsey said. “It’s a very impressive clearance rate. Compared to the rest of the counties in the state of Idaho, we’re number three, and I’d like to say that’s a direct result of being able to retain staff.” 

Drug arrests rose more than 60% in 2024, contributing to a 19% increase in overall crime. Lindsey attributed this to the work of the SCSO Rapid Action Team and the Drug Task Force, units she fears would be eliminated under the proposed cuts. 

She also recalled similar budget reductions in 2006, when several deputies left for neighboring agencies and 24-hour patrols were discontinued. Lindsey said she fears history could repeat itself. 

“You can only do less with less,” she said. “You cannot maintain or do more.” 

The department budgets for 19 patrol deputies, with 18 positions filled. Cutting positions could also cost the county $254,000 in lost revenue from contracts with cities and agencies. 

The proposal includes $80,000 in cuts to the jail budget, eliminating one detention deputy and reducing salaries and benefits for others. Lindsey said these changes would prevent the jail from attaining state certification, strain staffing and potentially force the facility to shut down. 

If the jail closes, the county would lose state revenue and incur costs to house, transport and care for inmates elsewhere. 

“With a jail shut down, the courts may have to release non-violent criminals,” Lindsey said. 

The county is expecting a significant shortfall in state revenue. Both Lindsey and the county commissioners are working to find ways to save money while maintaining services. A clearer picture will emerge once the full county budget is released in the coming weeks.