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Police, Fire and Solid Waste Outline Steps to Curb Overtime as Departments Add Staff and Restructure
Summary
Chiefs and directors from police, fire and solid waste told the Budget & Fiscal Affairs Committee the city has begun to curb overtime through tighter supervision, larger recruitment classes and operational scheduling changes, but acknowledged ongoing pressures from minimum staffing rules, training and special events.
The Budget & Fiscal Affairs Committee held a department‑by‑department review of overtime usage on Nov. 2025, hearing presentations from the Houston Police Department, Houston Fire Department and Solid Waste operations about causes and mitigation strategies.
Police Chief Noe Diaz told the committee HPD has tightened oversight of overtime with a new dashboard and closer supervisor intervention. HPD presented three‑year figures showing large OT variances in prior years: FY24 overtime budget $19.9 million with actual overtime of about $38.9 million (roughly $18.9 million over budget), and FY25 overtime budget $33.0 million with actuals near $39.0 million. For FY26 the department's annual overtime…
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