Brockport police facing overtime increases

Citing officer injury and illness, Brockport Police Chief Dan Varrenti said his office is looking at escalating overtime costs.

"It costs us approximately $10,500 a month in overtime when we have an injured officer," he said. Varrenti explained that for the month of January through mid-June he will have up to three officers out of work because of surgery, recuperation and rehabilitation time. "We're looking at about $147,000 in overtime during that period."

Varrenti had budgeted $159,000 for overtime for the year, he said. "We're looking at about $273,000 in overtime this year unless we do something quickly," he told board members at the February 3 meeting. "Three officers represents 25 percent of our force."

The three officers, Varrenti said, are facing surgeries from torn rotator cuffs to bone spurs and thyroid conditions.

If there had been no injuries, the police budget would have come in under the budgeted figures he said. Varrenti explained that the third platoon, which recently received two part time officers, is expending $4,800 in overtime while the other platoons are averaging $30,000 in overtime expenditures. "We need to look at this and stop the bleeding," Varrenti told board members at the February 3 meeting.

Trustee James Whipple said the board couldn't give any sound advice until they had a chance to look at the figures.

During the February 3 meeting, part time officers Jeremy Tanner and Anthony Zapata were sworn in and the February 28 retirement of Sergeant Charles Klinkbeil was announced.