City Council

Overtime Tops $3 Million for Wilmington Police, Firefighters

Wilmington City Council members are frustrated. Overtime costs for police and fire departments are more than $800,000 over budget with three months left in the fiscal year.

The News Journal of Wilmington reports that Police Chief Bobby Cummings told council members at their final budget hearing Wednesday that a new payroll system will allow his department to better monitor overtime pay in the next fiscal year, which begins July 1.

City police have spent $2.2 million so far this fiscal year on overtime costs -- $221,000 over budget. Fire overtime is $601,000 over budget with $851,000 spent on extra shifts.

Councilman Bud Freel says he hopes the new system addresses the overtime problem, which he says should have been solved long ago.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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