* WARNING: THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL, INTRODUCTORY COPY OF THE BILL.
THE OFFICIAL COPY CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE FIRST READER COPY.
INTRODUCTORY*
CITY OF BALTIMORE
COUNCIL BILL R
(Resolution)
Introduced by: Councilmember Harris
A RESOLUTION ENTITLED
A COUNCIL RESOLUTION concerning
Title
Baltimore City Police Department - Overtime Budget Expenditures - Quarterly Detailed Reports
FOR the purpose of requesting the Baltimore Police Commissioner to submit quarterly detailed reports to the City Council on actual and anticipated overtime expenditures for police personnel and to submit the information by number of personnel, district deployment, and type of duty assignment.
Body
Recitals
Newspaper leads of November 2000: the Police Department is projecting a $10 million deficit for the year brought on by overtime costs..; February 2001: the Police Department is projected to be $15.9 million over budget this year, most of that because of overtime costs; February 2002: ...overtime costs in the police and fire departments are running millions of dollars over budget, contributing to a projected $8.9 million general fund shortfall...; February 2003: Largely because of overtime costs, the Baltimore Police Department expects to exceed its budget by $14.3 million.....
And continuing, February 2004: The Police Department will exceed its budget by $9.8 million...mainly due to overtime; May 2004: budget was overspent by about $9 million, mostly due to overtime; June 2005: the Baltimore Police Department's overtime budget for fiscal year 2005 is $7.4 million, by June 30, the department is projected to have spent $18.2 million for overtime; May 2006: the Baltimore Police Department needs more money to cover overspending...$13.4 million, mostly for overtime; January 2007: so far this fiscal year, the department has spent $21 million on overtime, significantly more than the $8.7 million budgeted to last through June.....
Reports of police overtime spending each budget season follow like night follows day and come as no surprise to Baltimore's taxpaying public, news reporters, or elected officials. Unfortunately, those responsible for preparing and implementing the Police Department budget have not shown a similar prescience.
The Police Department must be held accountable for how taxpayers' hard-earned dollars are being spent. Every person in our City appreciates the selfless efforts of our men and women in blue; however the Department administration's duty to protect and serve extends to the fiscal well-being of the City as well.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE, That the Baltimore Police Commissioner is requested to submit quarterly detailed reports to the City Council on actual and anticipated overtime expenditures for police personnel and to submit the information by number of personnel, district deployment, and type of duty assignment.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be sent to the Mayor, the Baltimore Police Commissioner, Chief, Police Department Administrative Division, the Director of Finance, and the Mayor's Legislative Liaison to the City Council.
dlr07-1160~intro/09Feb07
ccres/BPDovrtm/nf
dlr07-1160~intro/09Feb07
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ccres/BPDovrtm/nf