BOSTON — For the second year in a row, Boston Police overtime spending has topped $100 million Axios reported.
According to data analyzed by Axios, overtime spending has grown 65% in the past decade. From 2015 to 2017, expenditures rested between $61 million and $67 million, rising to nearly $80 million in 2018.
2024 was the first year to top $100 million, reaching a high of $103.2 million.
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The department has seen a 7.2% decrease in staffing over the past 5 years, Axios reported.
The high overtime and low staffing levels prompted the launch of a probe from city councilors in early April, MassLive reported.
“The standing issues of understaffing, overstretched resources, forced overtime and looming retirements at Boston Police is a public safety and public health emergency,” said City Councilor Ed Flynn.
