Chicago rang in the New Year with a big national televised celebration, one that required a big police presence. Despite the new event, the Chicago Police Department's overtime budget for January was down 13% compared to January 2025. February dipped by 17%, and March was slightly up due to services for Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. But overall, police overtime decreased by 9.4% this year.
"The strategy we are using to keep these expenditures down, we are leveraging technology to increase accountability," said CPD Deputy Director Office of Strategic Planning Ryan Fitzsimons.
It is now mandatory for every officer to enter a tracking code when submitting overtime so supervisors can trace spending.
"When you begin to monitor something a little more aggressively, I think people make slightly different decisions when it's under the microscope," said Chicago Budget Committee Chairman Ald. Jason Ervin.
Besides the ability for commanders to use technology to be more judicious with overtime, the Chicago City Council has increased its budget. This year's police overtime budget is about $200 million. So far, $55.7 million has been spent, but big spending has yet to come. Summer months are the most expensive with so many big-scale planned events.
"Many of my colleagues want to continue to talk about how we reign in overtime, when we're creating the overtime," said 19th Ward Ald. Matthew O'Shea.
O'Shea suggests possibly scaling back on so many events to get a better handle on overtime. Ervin doubts that will happen.
"I think if we were to ask citizens to say, hey, let's not have events, we would be boring. We would not be Chicago. So, I think this is a cost that is we are accustomed, and I think it is a cost that makes us who we are," Ervin said.
Chicago police and alderpersons agree that making investments in more technology can help with bringing the overtime budget down.