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Q&A
NYPD and uniformed agency overtime spending control measures
0:37:05
ยท
7 min
Speaker Adams expresses concern about excessive overtime spending, particularly for NYPD. Director Jiha explains the administration's efforts to control and reduce overtime costs through a new mayoral directive and monthly monitoring meetings with agencies.
- The preliminary plan includes an additional $215 million in uniformed overtime spending, with $117 million for NYPD
- OMB works with uniformed agencies to set monthly overtime targets and reviews progress in monthly meetings
- Agencies must explain variances and provide plans to get back on track if they exceed targets
- NYPD overtime is expected to exceed $1 billion this fiscal year, similar to last year's spending
- Some agencies, like DOC and FDNY, face staffing challenges that contribute to overtime needs
Adrienne Adams
0:37:05
Let's talk about NYPD and overtime, our favorite subject.
0:37:09
Excessive overtime spending and under budgeting costs of overtime have been ongoing concerns for the council.
0:37:17
Both are risks to the budget.
0:37:19
We are particularly concerned with NYPD's overtime costs.
0:37:24
The fiscal twenty twenty five adopted budget included $1,100,000,000 for uniformed overtime of which $447,000,000 was allocated to the NYPD.
0:37:36
The preliminary plan includes an additional $215,000,000 in uniformed overtime spending, $117,000,000 for the NYPD.
0:37:46
At current pace, the NYPD will once again exceed the previous year's overtime spending.
0:37:52
In December, the mayor issued directive twenty twenty four dash one, which seeks to reduce and control uniformed agency overtime at NYPD, FDNY, DSNY, and the DOC.
0:38:06
It directs OMB to oversee and approve overtime reduction in coordination with the administration and commissioners of these agencies.
0:38:15
Last year, at the fiscal twenty twenty four executive budget hearings, I specifically asked about the administration's attempt to reduce overtime costs.
0:38:24
And there you informed the council that OMB was implementing overtime controls.
0:38:29
How is the mayor's new directive different from the past overtime control measures that OMB said it had already put in place?
0:38:38
And can you walk us through the entire internal process in which the agencies, the administration, and OMB engage in setting reduction targets and details spending plan?
Jacques Jiha
0:38:49
The directive is in line with the previous directive.
0:38:53
It was just, you know, the directive for the year.
0:38:57
But the process we have in place right now is we work with all four uniform agencies, the commissioners, and the respective deputy mayors at City Hall.
0:39:12
And we work together.
0:39:14
We set targets for the month, for each month, for the rest of the year, and we meet monthly, okay, to review those targets, and if for whatever reason an agency there's a variance between the target and the actual overtime, the agency has to provide an explanation for what occurred, what transpired.
0:39:38
And what is the plan that they have to get us back on track again, okay?
0:39:44
So we meet every month and we monitor closely over time the targets that we set, working with the agencies and the actual numbers on a month to month basis.
0:39:54
And every time if there is a deviation from the target, they have to explain and they have to give us a plan on how they're gonna get back on track.
Adrienne Adams
0:40:03
Have you been satisfied with NYPD's plan as presented to you?
Jacques Jiha
0:40:07
So far, yes.
0:40:08
With the new commissioner, we've been working very very closely and monitor this very closely, and I think we're making progress.
Adrienne Adams
0:40:15
What about the other agencies?
0:40:17
NYPD is a standout obviously, but what about the other agencies and
Jacques Jiha
0:40:21
are they meeting those Every agency is different.
0:40:24
Yeah.
0:40:25
Some agencies have more problems than others, more challenges than Put it this way.
Adrienne Adams
0:40:28
Which ones?
Jacques Jiha
0:40:30
GOC because they are fixed post.
0:40:33
You know, they same thing with fire, fixed post, you know, so therefore it's if you if you don't have the head count to manage and it's been very difficult for them to hire, so it creates a problem.
0:40:50
So therefore they have to resort to overtime more than others.
0:40:54
But I think the fact that we are closely monitoring every single one of these agencies on a month to month basis, they have like a cadence, the discipline began to establish because they have to come and explain.
0:41:08
And if that deviation persists over time, they have to go to the mayor to explain to the mayor exactly what transpired.
0:41:13
Nobody wants to do that.
0:41:14
So I think it's a good process that we have in place, but we will see progress down the road.
Adrienne Adams
0:41:20
Have the agencies identified potential savings that can be achieved as a result of these meetings that you're having?
Jacques Jiha
0:41:27
I think it's more cost avoidance because the budget to begin with are underfunded, okay, for overtime because one of the ways we're trying to manage is to basically try to manage the overtime budget every quarter.
0:41:42
So as we see because if you give them from the get go a billion dollars, it's gonna be, trust me, it's gonna be a lot more by the time you end the year.
0:41:51
So therefore, they're always on the budget to begin with.
0:41:55
So therefore, it's not savings per se, but it's cost avoidance.
Adrienne Adams
0:41:59
Okay.
0:41:59
Let's pivot back to the NYPD once again.
0:42:02
Sure.
0:42:03
What is the overtime reduction plan that's been developed by your office?
Jacques Jiha
0:42:07
Could provide your staff the target that we develop with them.
0:42:12
You know?
Adrienne Adams
0:42:15
What's the estimated cost of NYPD overtime for the year?
Jacques Jiha
0:42:19
At this point in time, we believe it's gonna go over a billion dollars, more or less in line with what they spent last year.
Adrienne Adams
0:42:25
What were the reduction targets?
Jacques Jiha
0:42:27
The reduction was basically to because we put we started the first the first half of the year, they were over the target.
0:42:34
So our goal is basically is to make up to bring them to a target for the second half of the year, and that's the reason why the the exact the guidance was directive was issued by the mayor after the first half of the year so that we could see if we could bring these guys back online.
Adrienne Adams
0:42:52
For agencies deemed by OMB acting in coordination with the administration to have excessive overtime costs, does OMB have the final authorization in controlling overtime spending?
Jacques Jiha
0:43:04
We come on the back end.
0:43:06
So, you know, we don't manage the operations of the agencies.
0:43:09
There's an emergency.
0:43:11
They make decisions, and then we only find out on the back end.
0:43:15
So it's one day at the end of the month.
0:43:17
That's when got the report, we got the data, we have to see, but the decisions are already made on a day to day basis by the managers.
Adrienne Adams
0:43:23
So they are presenting they are presenting their final final to you, and that's that's it?
Jacques Jiha
0:43:28
It's already spent.
Adrienne Adams
0:43:29
It's already spent?
Jacques Jiha
0:43:30
It's already spent.
Brad Lander
0:43:31
What is the buck stop?
Jacques Jiha
0:43:32
That is the the buck stop at the meeting with the with the with the commissioner on a month to month basis because they have to give us a plan to tell us exactly how they're gonna get back on track.
Adrienne Adams
0:43:43
And if the plan is unsatisfactory, then what?
Jacques Jiha
0:43:45
Then they're gonna have to explain to the mayor.
Adrienne Adams
0:43:49
Can OMB commit to showing real progress and controlling over time by the executive budget?
Jacques Jiha
0:43:55
By the executive budget?
0:43:57
It's about a month and a half.
0:44:00
I'm not sure.
0:44:01
I could guarantee that.
0:44:02
You know?
0:44:03
Again, there's this discipline that we're trying to establish certain disciplines within practice.
0:44:08
Okay?
0:44:09
And it's it's coming along, but there are certain agencies that have some challenges.
0:44:16
If fire if the fire department doesn't have the staff, okay, and they work on a fixed cost, ultimately, they're gonna have to have overtime.
0:44:25
Okay?
0:44:25
So we have to get we have to solve the problem the equipment problem that they have.
0:44:30
Okay?
0:44:31
Same thing with DOC.
0:44:33
Okay?
0:44:34
So, you know, we have to make sure that they have the staffing necessary, okay, to mend those posts.
0:44:40
But if we don't have it, you know, I cannot guarantee you within a month or two they're gonna have all the staffing that necessary that they need to manage their operations.
0:44:50
So therefore, I cannot give you that kind of guarantee.