Timework Overview

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In December 2024, the New York Police Department (NYPD) launched a major internal crackdown on overtime fraud after uncovering excessive and potentially corrupt overtime payments. The focus quickly turned to at least 29 officers who were reassigned from their posts, amid ongoing federal and city-level investigations. The financial implications of this abuse were significant, with a small group of officers racking up hundreds of thousands of dollars in additional pay.

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NYPD Key Figures

Total Officers Reassigned: 29
Officers Earning Over $100,000 in Overtime (FY 2024): 16
Combined Overtime Pay for Just 4 Officers: 2 officers under Chief Jeffrey Maddrey: $312,769 2 officers under Operations Bureau (Kaz Daughtry): ~$289,000 Subtotal (4 officers): ~$601,769 in overtime
Average Overtime per Officer (Top 4): $150,442.25 per officer/year, just in overtime — excluding base salary
Department-Wide Overtime Overrun: Overtime Budget Exceeded by $271 Million in FY 2024 Total Overtime Spend: ~$1.1 Billion (up from ~$959 million in FY 2023) Percentage Increase YoY: ~14.7%

Impacts on Payroll and Integrity

Officers earning $100,000+ in overtime alone likely pushed their total annual compensation to $200,000–$300,000+.
These figures suggest multiple officers were paid the equivalent of two full-time positions—despite questions around whether those hours were actually worked.
Allegations linked some overtime distribution to misconduct, including sexual coercion for overtime privileges—compounding the financial damage with ethical and legal consequences.

Investigations and Consequences

Agencies Involved: FBI Manhattan District Attorney NYC Department of Investigation
Leadership Changes: Chief Jeffrey Maddrey: Resigned Chief of Internal Affairs Miguel Iglesias: Removed Public Information Office head Tarik Sheppard: Replaced

Reform Initiatives & Cost Controls

New Overtime Oversight Roles: Overtime Compliance Officers assigned to each bureau
Mandated Monthly Reports: All divisions required to document and justify overtime usage in detail
Caps on Overtime: Overtime budgets to be limited by job function and strictly monitored

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Timework Conclustion

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The NYPD’s overtime abuse exposed a multi-million dollar vulnerability in payroll oversight. With just four officers generating over $600,000 in overtime alone, it’s clear that unchecked systems can yield massive fiscal waste. Commissioner Jessica Tisch’s rapid administrative response and the launch of new accountability measures signal a turning point. Whether these changes can rein in a department that spent over $1 billion on overtime in a single year remains to be seen—but the scale of the numbers has put NYPD's financial and ethical controls under a national spotlight. Reach out to Timework today to help address your overtime strategy and prevent your organization from being in the spotlight.