Police gain settlement, boost in overtime funds

By AMANDA PINTO

apinto@thestamfordtimes.com

STAMFORD — The police union recently agreed to pay the city $90,000 to reimburse tax payers for overtime funds expended during an alleged "sick out." Soon after, the Board of Finance approved $500,000 to bolster the police department's dwindling overtime account.

The Jan. 11 agreement that resulted in the $90,000 payment, was a "sound financial decision," because the settlement could have totaled up to $250,000 Union President Michael Merenda wrote in a press release.

Department officials had alleged the union engaged in job action when 23 police officers stayed home from work each day for an eight-day period beginning Nov. 28. Merenda maintains the union did not organize a "sick out."

"Our action saved us money and saved the taxpayers from having to pay even more as the city continued to waste resources pursuing their complaints instead of working to keep the department strong," he wrote.

Director of Human Resources Dennis Murphy said although the union does not admit to job action, the settlement was a success.

"Lets put it this way, paying $90,000 back to the taxpayers speaks for itself," he said.

Merenda said he hopes the end to the "sick out" debate will mark the beginning of positive steps toward a new contract for the police union — department and union officials met for binding arbitration over the contract last week.

"We're just trying to get a contract and that's where our focus is right now," he said. "I think once we get a contract it's going to put a lot of people's frustration away."

A $500,000 Board of Finance allocation should also help alleviate department frustrations, as the board previously held a request for the funds, citing a need for evidence that Chief Brent Larrabee could curtail overtime spending.

Assistant Police Chief Susan Bretthauer has said spending — often upwards of $400,000 each month, according to Director of the Office of Policy and Management Peter Privitera — is caused by the overtime needed to offset staffing needs.

About 280 officers are currently available for duty, 30 less than the 313 officer maximum authorized by the city.

Privitera said around $750,000 is needed to get through the rest of the fiscal year, if the department is able to keep its overtime budget at around $350,000 each month.

Current funds would have carried the department through February, Privitera said. With the new allocation, the department will likely not have to request more funding until April.

Larrabee said the department, which spent $380,000 in funds in December but will see that amount reduced by the recent settlement, should not have a problem spending under $350,000 barring major disturbances or absenteeism.

"They have come from where it was in the 500 range to the mid 300 range so I know they're making an effort to keep it down," Privitera said.