From Bloomberg News reporter Fola Akinnibi:

The New York City Police Department has exceeded its overtime budget by almost $100 million and it is on pace to break a 10-year high for spending on extra hours for officers.

Before taking office, Mayor Eric Adams pledged to reduce the NYPD’s overtime spending by half in his first year by deploying officers more efficiently and reducing the number on duty at parades and other events.

Yet, the NYPD has spent $472 million on officer overtime through February, exceeding its budget by $98 million, according to a report from New York City Comptroller Brad Lander. The final tally will be much higher because the fiscal year ends June 30. Lander’s office said the department is on pace to spend $740 million, which would be the most in a decade.

“If New York City had unlimited cash, it would be lovely to allow teachers unlimited overtime to stay afterschool to help every kid learn to read, or social workers unlimited shifts to help counsel New Yorkers struggling with mental illness,” Lander said in a statement. “But other agencies aren’t allowed to show total disregard for their overtime budget, and we can’t afford for the NYPD to do so year after year.”

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