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Mayor Adams Cracks Down on Excessive Overtime in NYPD, FDNY, and Other Key City Departments Amid Scandal
Edited by: Fern Sidman
In response to mounting concerns over runaway overtime costs and a scandal that has rocked the New York City Police Department (NYPD), Mayor Eric Adams has unveiled a set of stringent measures aimed at curbing excessive overtime spending in four key city agencies. According to a report on Friday in The New York Post, the new directive targets the NYPD, the Fire Department of New York (FDNY), the Department of Correction, and the Department of Sanitation—agencies that collectively account for a disproportionate share of the city’s overtime expenses.
As reported by The New York Post, Adams issued the directive on Monday, emphasizing that these departments must ensure overtime is used “responsibly and in accordance with the City’s guidelines.” The mayor stressed that it is the ongoing responsibility of each agency’s leadership to implement better controls and oversight over overtime practices. In an effort to guarantee compliance, City Hall itself will now monitor the departments’ spending practices, alongside the Office of Management and Budget and three other City Hall offices.
Mayor Adams’ directive mandates that each department must submit monthly reports detailing their overtime spending and meet monthly with their assigned oversight offices. If any department fails to demonstrate sufficient reductions in overtime costs, they will be required to submit a remediation plan outlining how they intend to address the overspending issue. This plan will be closely monitored by the Office of Management and Budget and other City Hall oversight offices.
One of the most significant aspects of the new policy, highlighted by The New York Post, is the requirement for each agency’s commissioner to personally review the top overtime earners in their department at least once every three months. This review aims to ensure that overtime hours are being distributed equitably and that potential abuse is detected and addressed promptly. Mayor Adams made it clear in his directive: “Controlling the use of overtime, including paid compensatory time, shall be the direct responsibility of each Agency’s commissioner.”
In addition, The New York Post reported that Mayor Adams specified that approvals for overtime usage may only be authorized by personnel who report directly to each agency’s commissioner. This measure is intended to reduce the chances of lower-level supervisors exploiting the system or approving overtime inappropriately.
While the mayor’s directive allows agencies to allocate overtime to meet emergency service demands, The New York Post noted that Adams included a stern warning: if emergency-related overtime costs lead to overspending against the department’s budget plan, non-emergency overtime must be reduced accordingly. The emphasis is clear—emergency needs will be prioritized, but overall fiscal discipline cannot be ignored.
The New York Post report detailed that oversight agencies have been tasked with developing and implementing detailed overtime reduction plans for each targeted department. These plans will include clear year-over-year reduction targets, and compliance will be closely monitored by the Office of the Chief of Staff and the Office of Management and Budget. The NYPD, in particular, will face heightened scrutiny due to its recent scandal involving former Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey.
The explosive allegations against Maddrey, as covered by The New York Post, revealed claims from Lieutenant Quathisha Epps that Maddrey sexually harassed her for over a year and pressured her in exchange for lucrative overtime opportunities. Epps, who logged over $200,000 in overtime last year and became the NYPD’s highest-paid employee, made the allegations public after being suspended amid an internal investigation into her extraordinary overtime earnings. Maddrey has denied the accusations, but he resigned abruptly last Friday following inquiries from The New York Post.
Despite the scandal casting a shadow over the NYPD, Mayor Adams did not directly reference the allegations in his directive. However, The New York Post reported that the timing of the memo suggests a clear response to public outcry over both the alleged misconduct and the glaring financial irregularities exposed by Epps’ overtime figures.
City Hall spokespersons told The New York Post on Thursday that the directive “speaks for itself” and declined to elaborate on whether the scandal directly influenced the timing of Adams’ crackdown. Nonetheless, the measures signal an effort by the Adams administration to restore public confidence in the city’s oversight mechanisms and to address systemic failures in how overtime is approved and managed across multiple agencies.
Additionally, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch has directed the newly appointed Chief of Internal Affairs, Edward Thompson, to investigate any allegations of individual overtime abuse, as reported by The New York Post. This move underscores the NYPD’s commitment to accountability and transparency under Tisch’s leadership. The spokesperson added, “Commissioner Tisch believes deeply in the nobility of policing, and is committed to maintaining honor and integrity throughout the NYPD.”
The New York Post report noted that this scandal—and the resulting policy changes—highlights the broader issue of accountability in municipal departments, where overtime abuse has long been a contentious issue. Critics argue that lax oversight, combined with a culture of entitlement among senior officials, has allowed such abuses to persist unchecked.
Lieutenant Epps, meanwhile, is fighting for her reinstatement and reportedly plans to retire after 19 years of service, according to the information provided in The New York Post report. Her case remains under internal review, and the outcomes of both her allegations against Maddrey and her suspension will likely have far-reaching implications for how the NYPD approaches overtime management moving forward.
The New York Post report indicated that the measures introduced by Adams and Tisch reflect a broader push for systemic change, not just isolated corrections. By placing personal accountability on agency commissioners, increasing reporting frequency, and demanding more rigorous oversight, the Adams administration aims to prevent similar controversies from arising in the future.
The success of these measures will depend on their implementation and the willingness of department heads to enforce the new protocols consistently. As highlighted in The New York Post report, the directive strikes a balance between ensuring that emergency services remain uninterrupted and eliminating wasteful or inappropriate overtime spending.
