Aug. 24, 2025

Sheriff Sam Hulse - Bonneville County - Idaho

Sheriff Sam Hulse - Bonneville County - Idaho
Season 1

Bonneville County Sheriff Sam Hulse: Growth, Budgets, and the Future of Idaho Law Enforcement

Bonneville County Sheriff Sam Hulse sits down for an unfiltered conversation about what it really takes to keep one of Idaho’s fastest-growing counties safe. From his undercover start in high school drug stings to leading the state’s second-largest jail, Sheriff Hulse has seen it all.

This is the Sheriff Series on The Great Idaho Show—a raw snapshot of Idaho through the eyes of its sheriffs.

Highlights:

  • 1:05 Sheriff Hulse’s unlikely start—going undercover in high school at age 21.

  • 3:40 Lessons from rural Clark County: livestock, snow machines, and true Idaho law enforcement.

  • 7:25 Bonneville County’s explosive growth—and why sheriffs face unique rural + metro challenges.

  • 10:00 Search & rescue realities: 50 volunteers, 6 water rescues in one week.

  • 13:20 Archaic tax structures, budget crunches, and the fight for local option taxes.

  • 18:00 Why writing tickets actually costs counties money.

  • 27:00 Inflation, HB 389, and the flat revenue crisis.

  • 33:30 Bonneville County Jail: Idaho’s second-largest—and home to the only jail-based GED program in the state.

  • 38:30 Reflections: standing in the breach between chaos and order.

  • 45:00 Sheriff Hulse’s message to Idaho: communication over confrontation.

Sheriff Hulse is more than a lawman—he’s a steward of Eastern Idaho’s future. This episode is a must-listen for anyone who cares about the balance between growth, safety, and Idaho’s way of life.