BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The City of Buffalo's fiscal watchdog is taking a closer look at overtime pay for city employees.
Comptroller Barbara Miller-Williams will soon release a report detailing the city's payroll for the past fiscal year, revealing a sharp increase in overtime spending—particularly in the Buffalo Fire Department (BFD) and Buffalo Police Department (BPD).
According to the report, the city exceeded its overtime budget by 80%, spending $43.6 million on overtime against a budget of $24.3 million, a $19.3 million overrun. It also shows that 45 city employees earned more than $100,000 in overtime alone in 2025, while 239 employees (8% of the workforce) earned more than $50,000 in overtime.
The Buffalo Police Department's total pay increased by $12.1 million (+12.3%) from 2024 to 2025, with base pay rising $11.2 million (+13.8%), according to the report. The department spent over $18.5 million in overtime during the fiscal year.
The Buffalo Fire Department's total payroll increased by $4.6 million (+5.5%) from 2024 to 2025, with overtime costs increasing $1.1 million (+8.6%) to $13.9 million. The department spent over $13.88 million in overtime during the fiscal year.
The Department of Public Works spent over $8.5 million in overtime during the fiscal year, according to the report. It also notes that while police officers saw a 31.7% increase since 2021 and firefighters got 22.1% increases, white-collar workers received only 8.7% increases, as inflation rose 18.2%.
WATCH: Short-staffed and over budget: Buffalo Fire and Police overtime costs surge
Buffalo Police Union President John Davidson said the overtime costs associated with the police department are caused primarily by a shortage of police officers.
"They're not being greedy, not trying to hammer the city for money," Davidson said. "They're being forced to work; they prefer a work-life balance that would be more appropriate to a regular shift."
Davidson also warned that with a healthcare contract expiring next summer, more officers could retire, potentially causing an increase in overtime.
"We need to be adequately staffed, have our manpower up to full capacity and address this in the labor contract where overtime doesn't become so excessive where to the point it's putting the city in a deeper financial hole," Buffalo Councilmember Mitch Nowakowski said.
City officials said that the overtime costs are covered by state-issued grants; however, not the full amount.
