Timework Overview

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In early 2025, the City of Phoenix launched a formal audit into the Police Department’s overtime spending after ABC15 uncovered unusually high payouts to specific officers. The investigation revealed a pattern of excessive and potentially mismanaged overtime, with significant financial implications for taxpayers.

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Key Overtime Figures from the ABC15 Article - let us look at the numbers.

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Example: Officer Kenneth Vine Jr.

$39,627 in overtime for January 2024 alone
Equivalent to 550+ overtime hours in a single month → This averages ~17.7 hours/day, assuming every day was worked - (PPD stated it was a buildup of months of overtime not just Jan).
$154,947 in overtime from Dec 2023 – May 2024
Projected to exceed $300,000 annually in total compensation (base salary + OT)

Top 50 Officers – January 2024

24 officers earned over $10,000 in overtime just in January
Indicates a minimum payout of $240,000 in OT in one month across just these 24 officers

Department Overtime Trends

The city budget has routinely been exceeded due to unmonitored OT use
No automated or digital system was in place to validate real-time OT claims

Systemic Weaknesses Identified

Officers manually entered overtime claims, often in bulk months after work occurred
Internal tracking limitations required “spread-out” entries of hours across months
Little to no cross-verification of overtime hours vs actual work schedules
Reimbursement from federal or grant sources still required City of Phoenix to pay up front

Audit and Policy Response

Internal audit of Officer Vine’s OT concluded his hours were “credible” but pointed to poor management of documentation
Operations Order 3.4 (regulating OT policy) was revised twice in 2024: April 2024: Improved documentation requirements August 2024: Introduced supervisor accountability for authorization

Financial & Operational Risks

Sustaining this level of OT for top-earning officers could cost: $1.8M annually for top 10 officers alone (if OT rates are consistent) $4M+ annually if patterns across the top 50 persist
Budget exposure: High OT undermines planning, limits resources for hiring, and erodes public trust

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Timework Conclusion

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This case exemplifies the critical need for structured overtime management. The City of Phoenix sent out a Overtime Alert letter stating officers need to only work Overtime during critical periods of work. Officer Vine’s $155,000 OT in 6 months, along with dozens of other officers receiving $10K+ monthly, points to a structural failure in oversight. The Phoenix Police Department’s policy updates are a step forward, but without systemic reform—including digital time tracking, real-time approvals, and tighter budget controls—overtime abuse remains a costly vulnerability.

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