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Saint Paul Police explain overtime types, reimbursement and an average $126 hourly event rate
Summary
Assistant Chief Paul Ford briefed the Finance and Budget Committee on police overtime types — reimbursed contractual overtime, special event overtime, department (general fund) overtime and non‑budgeted incident responses — and said reimbursed overtime comprised 61% of overtime dollars through June 2025. He said the billed flat rate for contract/s
Assistant Chief Paul Ford told the Finance and Budget Committee that police overtime falls into four broad categories — reimbursable contractual overtime, special event overtime (permitted uses of public space), department (general fund) overtime to cover shift shortages or late calls, and unplanned, non‑budgeted responses (rallies, dignitary protection, mutual aid) — and described how the city bills and manages each type.
Key points - Overtime types: Ford defined (1) contractual overtime — officers hired by private parties/organizations for security or event coverage but managed by the department, (2) special event overtime — planned permitted events using public resources and subject to staffing formulas, (3) department overtime — general fund overtime that covers court standby, staff shortages, late calls, and training, and (4) non‑budgeted expenses — mobile field force, protests, dignitary protection and mutual aid. - Reimbursed overtime share: For the first half of 2025 Ford said about 61% of total police overtime dollars were reimbursed (contractual and special event billing). He said department general‑fund overtime comprised a smaller share but noted staff shortages remain the biggest general‑fund overtime driver. - Flat billing rate: Ford told the committee the current contract and special event overtime billing rate is $126 per hour; he said that rate is intended to average across rank differentials and to include vehicle/fuel/radio and other operational cost elements so event organizers receive a single estimate. Ford said events are given an estimate (not to exceed that estimate) and that actual bills often come in below the initial estimate. - Assignment and sign‑up: The department uses an app (Roll Call) to post contracted and special event overtime sign‑ups; overtime opportunities are assigned by seniority when multiple officers sign up. Ford said departments prioritize staffing for public‑safety needs and can pull officers from contract work during a city emergency.
Council follow‑ups requested Council members requested: (1) the dollar totals behind the pie charts (actual dollar amounts and comparison to budget) for 2024 and 2025 year‑to‑date, (2) historical comparisons of billed event estimates vs. final invoices to see any “delta” the city eats when actual costs exceed estimates, (3) breakdowns of how much of special event overtime supports free public events versus private or commercial events, and (4) the average rank‑based pay difference relative to the flat $126 hourly estimate. Ford said staff will provide those details.
Direct quote: Assistant Chief Paul Ford said the department bills $126 per hour for contractual and special event overtime.
