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Police commissioner defends $13.4 million increase as council presses on overtime and event billing
Summary
At Buffalo Common Council budget hearings, the police commissioner said the department's $13.4 million budget increase and higher overtime line reflect contractual requirements, vacancies and special events; council members pressed for itemized overtime data, billing for private events and details on a planned vehicle leasing arrangement.
Buffalo Common Council members on April 22 pressed the police commissioner for detailed accounting of a $13.4 million increase in the department's proposed budget, questioning rising overtime and whether private events that require heavy police coverage should pay for that service.
“This budget is not an expansion of services. It is an effort to accurately fund the level of services in the city of Buffalo that is already relied upon each day,” the police commissioner told the council, arguing the overtime requests reflect contractual minimum staffing, vacancies, higher investigative workloads and frequent large-scale events.
Council members repeatedly sought a line-by-line explanation of overtime spending. Council member Wyatt said the public needs clarity…
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