CHICAGO, May 3 (UPI) -- The Chicago Police Department spent $21 million on overtime in January, February and March, about two-thirds of its 2013 allocation, records show.
The Chicago Sun-Times said some of the money -- about two-thirds of the $32 million allocated for overtime in all of 2012 -- went for overtime worked in November and December of 2012 and not paid until January. It does not include overtime for 400 officers who joined Operation Impact, an anti-violence initiative, in March, who were not paid until April.
Officials say the spending has produced results, and point to statistics showing homicides dropped 62 percent, non-fatal shootings 44 percent and overall crime 25 percent in the 20 Operation Impact zones between Feb. 1 and April 28.
Mike Shields, president of the Fraternal Order of Police, said the overtime figures show the city needs to hire more police officers. He said officials are using a "short-term Band-Aid solution to a major manpower problem."
