Minneapolis police ask for more overtime funds; Chauvin trial security used $2.9M of budget

Minneapolis Police Department leaders appeared before the City Council’s Public Health and Safety Committee Thursday during a virtual meeting asking them to authorize $5 million for department overtime out of reserves.

The city council budgeted $3.5 million for overtime costs during 2021.

Through the end of May, MPD has used $5.2 million in overtime, with $2.9 million spent during Operation Safety Net surrounding the Derek Chauvin trial.

"Burnout and wellness concerns are certainly are a very much important consideration with any excess in overtime," Police Chief Medaria Arradondo said.

Minneapolis Police Department 2021 Overtime Report

The city council previously set aside $5 million in a reserve fund, but that required Arradondo to come back to the council for approval.

"There are two considerations as we’re thinking use of overtime in this conversation is money but the other is officer wellness and capacity to do the work," said Steve Fletcher, a Minneapolis City Council member.

The police department projects overtime costs could grow as high as $9.5 million by the year’s end, creating a projected $1 million deficit.

MPD said a surge in crime, including an increase in gunshot victims in the city this year compared to last, is draining resources and requiring longer investigator call-outs.

"These calls do take a lot of resources to respond to, and that hampers our ability to respond to other calls for service," said Deputy Chief of Patrol Erick Fors.

"Investigations does use a significant amount of overtime, first of all, and I think is $1 for $3, between patrol and investigations," said Robin McPherson, MPD’s financial director.

Mayor Jacob Frey’s office will ask the city council on July 2 for final approval of $5.6 million for police and $5.9 million for violence prevention work out of American Rescue Plan Act funds.

"Those shifts do cost money, that’s not the only tool being used, we have resources coming in from other mutual aid partners and resources that are being allocated through this rescue act plan as well," Frey said.