The council that oversees the state’s law-enforcement training program will allow North Idaho College to offer some of the training starting in April.

Law-enforcement officers in Idaho must complete a 10-week training regimen, and currently the classes are offered at the Peace Officers Standards and Training – or POST - academy in Meridian.

Idaho state code doesn’t allow for a second academy in the state, but members of the Idaho POST Council have agreed to let the Coeur d’Alene college to teach two classes.

The move still must win approval from the Legislature, and the Idaho Attorney General’s office plans to ask lawmakers for a temporary rule change in the legislative session that starts in January. If the lawmakers agree with the council and create the temporary rule change, the council will evaluate how successful the two classes are.

Northern Idaho law-enforcement agencies say they would benefit from having a training academy closer to home. NIC intends to have a minimum of 15 officers in the first April class.

The school already offers a two-year degree for students who have not been hired by a law-enforcement agency. (AP)