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Committee flags patrol staffing decline, surge in overtime and rise in internal investigations
Summary
Staff told the committee patrol assignments fell more than 24% since 2021 while overtime rose sharply; internal affairs investigations increased significantly after state accountability changes, and the department is conducting staffing studies to respond.
Council staff and police officials described workforce and discipline trends that the committee said warrant attention. Staff reported patrol assignments dropped from 732 officers in 2021 to 554 in 2024, and district-level overtime increased by 117% overall with dramatic increases in several districts.
"Patrol staffing has declined by 24% over the past 3 years, and patrol district level overtime has surged," Ms. Farag told the committee, noting the FY25 overtime appropriation of $13.5 million and a departmental projection closer to $25 million in actual FY25 overtime.
Staff also reported an increase in internal affairs investigations (from 30 in 2022 to 110 in 2024) after changes in state and local law required community-member complaints to be handled by IAD and the Police Accountability Board process began July 1, 2023. Assistant Chief Nicholas Oggstein and others told members they expanded IAD staffing early in the transition but acknowledged processing time increased and informal supervisory remediation opportunities have been reduced.
The department has contracted a consultant for a staffing study of investigative services and is completing an internal patrol staffing analysis, both of which staff said will be ready later this fall. Committee members asked for district-level breakdowns, municipal overtime figures where municipalities assist county districts, and analysis showing how staffing and overtime trends affect response and proactive enforcement.
