Report: Yonkers police racked up overtime, controls ignored

[Guest]

GIMME A BREAK!! Is this really the officers fault? I'm sure these officers were working NEEDED and in some occasions forced details in the crime-ridden city, yet are getting screwed for it.

Report: Yonkers police racked up overtime, controls ignored

By LEN MANIACE

THE JOURNAL NEWS

(Original publication: December 13, 2007)

YONKERS - A review of work records for the 11 police officers who lead Yonkers Police Department in overtime pay found city rules governing overtime were ignored hundreds of times, the Yonkers Inspector General Philip Zisman reported this week.

Six of the police officers each earned more than $100,000 in overtime payments, more than double their regular salaries in 2006, according to the report, which was issued yesterday.

The study found 106 instances in which overtime was paid but not properly recorded, 115 instances in which officers worked more than 16 consecutive hours in violation of department rules, and 35 cases in which extra overtime was improperly paid because of overlapping hours.

One of the police officers, Detective Christopher Deering, was fined 40 days pay by the Yonkers Police Department as a result of the review.

Police overtime totalled $16.7 million in 2006, or more than $1 of every $6 the city spends on day-to day police protection.

[Oswegowind 17]

Most of the time when someone works more than 16 hours straight it is because of arrests and extended tours that cannot be handled differently due to the needs of the department. The inspector guy may have a point in some cases, but not nearly enough! The public needs the police, stop paying them and watch crime rise again! There are more important things than money, how about people feeling safe when walking down the street?

[dadbo46 50]

Perhaps the City needs to hire more cops to reduce the OT.

[khas143 13]

Perhaps the City needs to hire more cops to reduce the OT.

That would be incorrect. The fact of the matter is that is is cheaper to pay cops overtime than to hire new ones. In order to achieve cost savings, the city of Yonkers would have to factor in all of the benefits given to a Police Officer before they even work one hour in Patrol. The cost of Health Insurance and retirement contributions alone would likely cost the City of Yonkers over $40,000. Given the fact that the article stated that 1/6th of police dollars are spent on overtime, it would probobly be cheaper not to hire more cops and pay more cops overtime.

[Guest]

Whats worse is that all these liberals dont even see that these guys were not WITH their families when out making this 'money'. They were at work, not feeding kids, watching first steps, saying good night in person. If I could double my salary with OT you bet your behind I would!

[SgtGumby311 0]

Does anyone know what the Inspector makes per year? And did he do any overtime while compiling his information?

[helicopper 1,050]

Perhaps the City needs to hire more cops to reduce the OT.

As KHAS indicated, it is generally cheaper to pay an employee overtime rather than higher a new employee and pay their salary, benefits, etc. There is a tipping point, though, where the sheer volume of OT negates the savings and some savings could be achieved by adding some full-time staff.

The problem is nobody wants to add budget lines for personnel so the OT keeps growing.

What about that line about a detective losing 40 days pay as a result of the investigation! OUCH!

[INIT915 1,119]

Whats worse is that all these liberals dont even see that these guys were not WITH their families when out making this 'money'. They were at work, not feeding kids, watching first steps, saying good night in person. If I could double my salary with OT you bet your behind I would!

What liberals? Where did that come from? Isn't this an IG report?

Is any of this 'forced' OT? If not, then these guys are making the decisions that ditate how much time they are spending at home. As one who ELECTS to work a significant amount of overtime, that is a choice I make.

[ONEEYEDMIC 68]

Mayor Amicome was just on News 12 with a 1 on 2 interview with the 2 BIGGEST MORONS on TV Brian Conybear and Janine Rose. They are so clueless in asking questions. I actually got mad. The Mayor was spot on with his answers saying that it is cheaper to have them stay for OT rather than Hire a couple of guys because they have to go to the ACADEMY and stuff like that. Chris192 hit it in his post. I wish on my job we had OT like that. Although I wouldn't take all the shifts, I would definitely take a bunch to give more back to my family.

[Guest]

How did the report come out? Some liberal went poking around, instead of worrying about themselves as usual. Lets see the guy that provoked the investigation do 80 hour weeks for a year, see how much they wish they fought for more personnel than how much OT these guys were working.