The Chronicle‘s Matt Stiles follows up today on an earlier story on an HPD officer who earned more than the mayor last year because of overtime pay. As it turns out, many officers had six-figure incomes last year, thanks to overtime pay. Here’s a teaser:
Twenty-two Houston police officers earned more than $50,000 in overtime last year, including seven who doubled their pay with the extra money, according to a Houston Chronicle analysis of payroll records.
The 22 — all sergeants or lower-ranking officers — are among more than 100 at those levels who pulled in six-figure incomes last year, the records show.
The entire story is well worth reading.
While the overtime seems excessive, it may simply reflect HPD’s manpower issues. The results of City Controller Annise Parker’s audit should be helpful in determining whether the overtime schemes are fair (to other HPD officers and to taxpayers) and necessary.
