By Yvonne Wenger
The Baltimore Sun
BALTIMORE — Mayor Catherine Pugh wants to cut at least $5.5 million from the Baltimore Police Department to help plug a shortfall in the schools budget, under a developing plan to better control police spending she outlined Wednesday.
Pugh — who is expected to release her administration’s first budget next week — said she is developing a strategy to control police overtime spending and has directed Police Commissioner Kevin Davis to find cuts in the department’s $480 million budget.
She said any savings will be directed to the city schools system, which is facing a $130 million budget shortfall and the threat of 1,000 teacher and staff layoffs.
Police overtime spending this year is expected to top $40 million, greatly exceeding the $16 million set aside for the expense.
“I am going to hold them to a police overtime budget,” Pugh said. “Our overtime budget continues to grow over almost every administration.
“I am still looking at their budget currently. Let me just say, $42 million will not be their overtime budget.”
Pugh wouldn’t say how much money she thinks is reasonable for the Police Department to spend on overtime.
To rein in costs, Pugh said she is investigating whether the department has enough technology and oversight in place to grant overtime only when necessary and appropriate.
She also is looking to former Mayor Kurt Schmoke, now president of the University of Baltimore, for advice.
———
©2017 The Baltimore Sun