Real Priorities for Public Safety
May 5, 2009

We have real public safety priorities to address in the City budget.

Last year, the Boston Police Department (BPD) went over its overtime budget by an incredible $17 million – an excess of more than 50%.

To put things in perspective, just a fraction of the excessive overtime spending would free up enough money to pay for comprehensive youth violence prevention and to keep the mounted (horseback) unit to patrol our parks.

Today, we on the City Council had the opportunity to question members of the BPD about the FY10 budget. I took this chance to ask what steps the Department is taking to make sure it stays within its means – just like every other department is required to do. But we cannot have a discussion about overtime spending without putting it in the context of how we could make better use of those funds.

The BPD needs a new way of approaching overtime spending that brings accountability and oversight to the Department, and that allows us to focus on big-picture priorities for Boston.