A new report by the website Michigan Capitol Confidential offers a look into previously reported possible claims of overtime abuse in the Detroit Police Department.
According to documents obtained via the Freedom of Information Act, at least 529 DPD employees logged more than 4,000 hours last year — the equivalent of 77 hours a week. At least 45 reported working 5,000-plus hours per year.
The overtime pay allowed some cops to earn far more than their police union base salaries. As the MCC reports:
A police “ident technician” reported 6,140 hours on the job in 2014-15, and a sergeant reported 6,028 hours — both more than 16 hours a day on average. The sergeant’s gross pay for the year was $128,135.
City records also show that one police sergeant who reported 5,537 hours had a gross pay of $105,921 and another reported 5,657 hours for $111,286.
One police officer is reported to have worked 5,863 hours — 16 hours a day every day of the year — for $107,602. Base salaries for that position range from $29,352 to $47,914 depending on seniority.
City records do show some employees working a standard 40-hour a week schedule and reporting 2,080 hours for the fiscal year. For example, an assistant chief of police reported 2,080 hours for a salary of $118,991.
According to DPD spokesman Sgt. Michael Woody, the city uses an antiquated method of tracking hours, multiplying overtime hours by 1.5. In other words, 8 hours of overtime would translate to 12 hours of "gross hours" worked.
Read the full report here.
