City unions urge Oakland to get police overtime spending under control

Oakland's budget allocates $33. 6 million for police overtime in the upcoming fiscal year, despite persistent concerns over financial management. City officials assert that this funding is vital for adequate police response and operational integrity, given staffing levels around 500, far below the 877 officers recommended for proper service delivery. Critics, including city worker unions, argue that the city is falling into a costly pattern of overspending on police overtime, which they believe could lead to cuts in other departments. A recent report suggests that Oakland will spend $55 million this year on police overtime, covering over 400,000 hours.

This comes after an earlier announcement to cut $25 million from the overtime budget, which was later revised due to “operational constraints. ” Officials claim they are working to reduce overtime by 25% and are tracking spending through planned requests and quarterly reports. However, it remains uncertain how effective these measures will be. The ongoing debate highlights the tension between public safety funding and overall city budget health.