City Taxpayers Foot $1.4 Million Bill for NYPD Overtime Due to How Many Stops Act
The How Many Stops Act has cost city taxpayers $1.4 million in just three months, resulting in 18,000 hours of make-work NYPD overtime. This outcome was exactly as predicted by critics of the law.
Back in January, warnings were issued about the potential rise in overtime costs due to the law, which requires cops to file detailed reports on all encounters with civilians, no matter how brief. The law, passed over the mayor’s veto, went into effect on July 1.
NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey shared that 98% of the paperwork generated by the law involves Level 1 encounters, including simple interactions like offering help to an exhausted runner at a marathon. Each report takes a cop about 30 minutes to an hour to complete.
Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, a vocal critic of the NYPD’s overtime costs, has expressed concerns about the department’s projected $750 million overtime expenses for the fiscal year. However, critics argue that the law has failed to document a significant percentage of police encounters while claiming that unconstitutional stops have increased.
In light of the mounting costs and questionable effectiveness of the How Many Stops Act, there are calls for a repeal to allow the NYPD to refocus on its primary mission of fighting crime. It remains to be seen whether city officials will take action to address the issues raised by the law.
