According to the San Francisco Chronicle, police officers in San Francisco are being compelled to work overtime due to a reduction in new recruits.
The Chronicle also noted that, over the last three years, the overtime pay for police officers has surged, coinciding with a decline in overall staffing within the department.
“Despite a city ordinance that limits the total overtime hours a full-time city employee can work to 520 hours in a fiscal year—unless there’s a ‘critical staffing shortage’ that justifies an exemption—the total overtime has risen dramatically. This exemption permits the city’s director of human resources to modify the overtime limit for specific departments,” the Chronicle reported.
San Francisco police officers are being compelled to work overtime due to a decline in new recruits, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. (Getty)
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A representative from the police union noted that the overtime cap for the department has been raised multiple times in recent years, now reaching 2,000 hours, with allowances for exceeding that limit under specific circumstances.
One police sergeant in San Francisco earned over $400K in overtime, marking the highest earnings for a city employee since 2013, the Chronicle revealed.
“The count of officers earning over $100,000 in overtime has more than tripled, rising from 131 in the fiscal year from July 2021 to June 2022, to 493 in the fiscal year from July 2023 to June 2024,” the Chronicle explained.
Additionally, the Chronicle mentioned that studies indicate that working overtime can adversely affect officers’ performance.
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The president of the San Francisco Police Officers Association issued a strong caution regarding the rising overtime burden faced by officers.
Split image of the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge and Police Badge. (Getty Images)
Tracy McCray stated that this situation is “an unsustainable, necessary evil that requires immediate attention.”
“If the goal is not to witness a drastic reduction in police services, the City must either address the staffing dilemma or continue managing the department via overtime,” McCray asserted. “Most officers would prefer to maintain their days off and scheduled vacations to cherish time with their families instead of working extensive hours of overtime.”
The San Francisco Police Department did not provide a comment when requested.
This report follows the passing of a measure by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors aimed at tackling the staffing shortfall within the police department. This measure, known as Proposition B, mandates a minimum staffing level that is to be supported by a new or amended tax yet to be defined.
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In February, the Chronicle published a fierce critique directed at San Francisco officials, deeming the measure “absurdly complicated.”
In light of the city’s police officer shortage, the Chronicle emphasized the necessity for additional police officers.
Democratic Mayor London Breed of San Francisco was among various city leaders across the nation who reduced police funding in 2020, redirecting $120 million from law enforcement to support other urban initiatives.
Democratic San Francisco Mayor London Breed was among the city leaders nationwide who cut police funding in 2020, redirecting $120 million from law enforcement towards other city projects. (KTVU)
Since that time, the city has increased its police budget; however, as of April 2023, the department is still short nearly 600 officers and only has 75% of the personnel needed to fulfill workload requirements.
