Boston police face scrutiny after overspending, fraud as DOJ intervenes

(The Center Square) - A police lieutenant working for the city of Boston made $221,579 in overtime that pushed his overall pay to $426,425 making him the highest-paid employee in the city in 2023.

In fact, 183 of the 206 employees for the city of Boston who made $250,000 or more in 2023 worked in the police department.

For the city, the police department has been chronically over budget. The city’s police department has overspent every year from 2019 through 2023 with a combined $92.3 million over budget over those five years. In 2023, it was $26.2 million over budget.

On Tuesday, former Boston Police Department Officer Diana Lopez was sentenced to six months in prison after an investigation in overtime fraud within the department. From 2015 to 2019, Lopez collected $36,028 in overtime for hours she did not work, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Massachusetts. There were more than a dozen Boston police officers charged in connection with committing overtime fraud and Lopez was the eighth to be sentenced.

On Thursday, the U.S. Justice Department stated that it will step in and assist the Boston Police Department with “a review and assessment of operations within BPD’s Human Resources section to determine whether processes and structures within this area can be adapted to increase operational efficiencies and effectiveness.”

The city and police department didn’t respond to emails seeking comment.

The ACLU Massachusetts has reviewed budget documents from the Boston police department. It noted that the city budgeted $361 million (not including overtime) for the police in FY 2024, the highest ever and a $9.8 million increase from the previous year.

“The Boston Police Department has more full-time employees than any department other than Boston Public Schools,” the ACLU Massachusetts wrote in its blog. “The department continually exceeds its overtime appropriation.”

The ACLU Massachusetts didn't respond to an email seeking comment.