Occupy Wall Street causes NYC police overtime to rise
The Occupy Wall Street protest has been going on for nearly a month and has cost the New York Police Department approximately $2 million in overtime employee attendance compensation, according to Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly.
"We always prefer to not spend overtime, but again, this is a big complex city, lots of things going on," said Kelly, as quoted by The Associated Press. "And we have to spend overtime for unplanned operations."
According to Kelly, layoffs and downsizing of departments in response to the economic downturn is exacerbating the situation. He noted that the city's police force has 6,000 fewer members today compared to 10 years ago.
James Parrott, deputy director and chief economist for the Fiscal Policy Institute, downplayed the extra expenditures.
"To some extent this sort of thing happens a lot in New York City," he said, as quoted by the news source. "$2 million in the context of a $66 billion annual budget is not a deal breaker."
Since the Wall Street protests began, localized demonstrations have erupted in other cities across the nation, including Boston and Chicago.
"We always prefer to not spend overtime, but again, this is a big complex city, lots of things going on," said Kelly, as quoted by The Associated Press. "And we have to spend overtime for unplanned operations."
According to Kelly, layoffs and downsizing of departments in response to the economic downturn is exacerbating the situation. He noted that the city's police force has 6,000 fewer members today compared to 10 years ago.
James Parrott, deputy director and chief economist for the Fiscal Policy Institute, downplayed the extra expenditures.
"To some extent this sort of thing happens a lot in New York City," he said, as quoted by the news source. "$2 million in the context of a $66 billion annual budget is not a deal breaker."
Since the Wall Street protests began, localized demonstrations have erupted in other cities across the nation, including Boston and Chicago.
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