The Phoenix Police Department lacked oversight and control over officers’ overtime, allowing some cops to rack up “extreme” amounts, according to a city audit report.
The audit was released in late January and it laid out a long list of issues inside the department.
RELATED: ABC15 investigates huge overtime payouts to Phoenix officers
Some of the key findings:
- Overtime costs have more than doubled in recent years.
- Officers can get paid twice for the same shift by taking leave and instead working overtime.
- The top 18 officers earned over $5,300,000 in overtime collectively in about two years.
“That is a management failure. That is a complete mismanagement of staffing,” said Anna Hernandez, who will be sworn in as Phoenix’s newest councilmember later this month. “As a department, this audit is showing that the Phoenix police department is not a financially responsible department within the city.”
No current city councilmembers, or Mayor Kate Gallego, responded to ABC15’s request for an interview on the audit.
City Manager Jeff Barton also declined to comment.
In a statement, a city spokesperson wrote, “We welcome the insights and recommendations from this audit, which will help refine our overtime management practices.”
Phoenix police overtime costs have jumped each of the five years cited in the audit.
In 2020, the total cost was $24 million. By FY 2024, it topped $59 million.
The audit was released weeks before the Phoenix council voted to increase the city sales tax because of a $39 million budget deficit and revenue reductions, which are blamed on state lawmakers cutting income and rent taxes.
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“We have our residents working two to three jobs just to make ends meat and we have 18 officers that have collected over $5 million dollars just in overtime,” Hernandez said. “I think that’s a slap in the face to our working people in Phoenix.”
Phoenix did not directly answer whether any officers were under internal or criminal investigation related to the audit.
The city’s full written statement about the overtime audit is below.
“The City and the Phoenix Police Department remains committed to actively managing the use of overtime to meet operational requirements given the staffing challenges our law enforcement community continues to experience. In September 2023, Interim Chief Michael Sullivan convened a department committee to review overtime utilization and make recommendations which has resulted in policy improvements, staff training, and partnership with the City Auditor’s office to examine compliance with existing policies.
We welcome the insights and recommendations from this audit, which will help refine our overtime management practices. Additionally, as part of our oversight efforts, we continue to collect data to ensure compliance with policies and assess whether misconduct or criminal activity may be occurring. In cases where potential misconduct is identified, the department will take appropriate action through internal investigative processes. Our commitment remains to transparency, accountability, and the responsible management of department resources while ensuring public safety.”
Contact ABC15 Chief Investigator Dave Biscobing at Dave@ABC15.com.
