Overtime spending for Austin's fire, police, and emergency medical professionals reached $84 million in the last budget year. The Austin Police Department is the primary contributor to this figure, with overtime expenses largely influenced by staffing shortages and special events. After facing a $33 million budget gap, city leaders have ordered cuts to overtime expenses. Some public safety employees utilize overtime to significantly increase their salaries, with many officers earning over $100,000 in overtime. Concerns have been raised about the impacts of excessive overtime on decision-making and employee well-being.
The Austin Police Department is the biggest overtime spender, initially budgeting around $25 million for overtime in 2024 but spending nearly double that.
District 5 Council Member Ryan Alter stated the city's overtime expenses are unpredictable and stress the need to understand the underlying causes.
Last year, 41 APD officers made over $100,000 in overtime, leading to an average take-home pay of nearly $260,000, far exceeding the income of firefighters.
Nelly Paulina Ramirez, chair of the city's Public Safety Commission, noted excessive overtime can lead to poor decision-making and burnout among public safety employees.
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