Many Police Candidates Don’t Meet Idaho’s Strict Anti-Pot Rules

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho law enforcement officials say it's getting harder to hire officers from outside the state that also meet Idaho's strict anti-marijuana use criteria.

Vic Macraw with Idaho's Peace Officer Standards and Training told a Senate legislative panel Wednesday that lax marijuana laws in states like Washington and Utah have narrowed the pool of eligible recruits looking to move to Idaho.

Currently, Idaho rejects applicants who have had natural or synthetic marijuana in the past three years, while employed as a law enforcement officer or used the substance on a regular basis within the past five years.

However, rejected applicants may be reconsidered by a review board. Democratic Sen. Grant Burgoyne of Boise says the state's rules are antiquated and should be tweaked to stay competitive with other states.