$1.2M Infusion Allows TPD To Make Up For Unexpected Costs

The Tulsa Police Department budget is getting a $1.2 million infusion to make up for unexpected costs from overtime, retirements and a retroactive pay increase.

The City of Tulsa’s Finance Department says TPD needs $375,000 beyond what’s currently budgeted to make up the costs of overtime and retirement beyond what was expected just a couple of months ago.

The department is due $837,000 for a retroactive pay increase awarded by an arbitrator in a dispute between the City and the Fraternal Order of Police. The amount includes an increase of $727 annually for employees at the top of the pay scale to make up for increases in the cost of health and dental insurance premiums.

Tulsa FOP Chairman Jerad Lindsey said Tulsa officers are working more overtime that usual because of a manpower shortage, which had led to the increased use of a “forced overtime” system to fill shifts.

Related Story: Tulsa Police Work Overtime To Make Up For Short Staff

Lindsey said the increase in retirements was, he believed, due to a climate of criticism of police officers, and unusually good stock market returns that has officers locking in their retirement earnings.

The Finance Department is asking the City Council to move $1,212,000 of unassigned funds in the city budget to the accounts of TPD to pay the higher costs of police protection both since January 1 and extending through June 30, 2018.