NYC councils new paperwork rule for cops cost taxpayers $1.4M in overtime in just three months: officials

Pot, meet kettle.Big Apple taxpayers shelled out more than $1.4 million in overtime in just three months for cops to fill out paperwork under the controversial “How Many Stops Act,” NYPD brass testified Monday under grilling by city lawmakers — who have consistently scrutinized police for their overtime costs.“Some of my colleagues have shown to be unserious people, prioritizing political posturing over public safety,” said Councilman Bob Holden, one lawmaker who opposed the burdensome law.“They criticize NYPD overtime spending while pushing legislation that adds excessive paperwork, costing taxpayers nearly $1.5 million and 18,000 overtime hours in just one quarter,” said Holden (D-Queens).The law, which requires New York’s Finest to file reports for even the briefest encounters with the community, is proving costly — tying up cops at their precincts for hours after their shifts, high-ranking department officials testified at a City Council hearing.

“We do have an overtime code for How Many Stops,” NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Legal Matters Michael Gerber told the council’s Public safety committee.“The third quarter of 2024 it’s about 18,000 hours spent on the form by our police officers,” Gerber said.

“That’s about $1.44 million in overtime.So, I think you’re not seeing it play out in response time.”It takes a cop anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to file a report, according to sources.

Gerber and Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey were grilled over the program, which some critics contend has still left as many as 30% of police encounters undocumented.Yet, questions of How Many Stops OT costs comes on the heels of constant bickering by city lawmakers over how much it costs to keep cops on the street fighting crime.In March, Council Speaker Adrienne Adams blasted the NYPD amid estimates that overtime would hit $740 million this fiscal year, the highest in the last decade.“I dare say that no other agency could possibly ...