Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 10 a.m. (Boston time), Boston City Hall, 1 City Hall Square, Boston, MA 02201
Hearing on Docket #0591 and #0696
The Public Safety & Criminal Justice Committee held a hearing on two dockets: 0591, an order reviewing funding, reimbursement, and accountability for police overtime details, and 0696, an order on Boston Police Department staffing levels. Councilor Murphy, Flynn, and FitzGerald, the sponsors, gave opening statements, and Councilor Weber also participated. Lisa O'Brien, Bureau of Administration and Technology Chief with the Boston Police Department, testified in place of Police Commissioner Cox, whose absence several councilors criticized on the record. The discussion covered detail billing and reimbursement rates, overtime spending and its budget impact, mandatory overtime and officer working conditions, staffing levels relative to the 2,500-officer minimum, a proposed ten-hour shift model, Mass and Cass overtime coding, and crime lab leadership. No one signed up for public testimony, and the chair said the committee would submit members' questions to the commissioner as follow-up.
0:57 and.
7:54 I'm.
9:28 Going.
13:46 Further if I could.
13:47 My name is henry santana,
13:50 at-large city councilor and I'm
13:52 the chair of the boston city
13:53 council committee on public
13:54 safety and criminal justice.
13:58 Today is MAY 19th, 2026 and the
14:00 exact time is 10:14 A.M..
14:02 This hearing is being recorded.
14:04 It is also being livestreamed
14:08 at boston.Com/city council dash
14:09 tv and broadcasted on xfinity
14:11 channel eight rcn channel 82
14:13 and files channel 964.
14:16 Written comments MAY be sent to
14:19 the committee email at ask
14:21 boston.Com and will be made
14:22 part of the record and
14:23 available to all councilors.
14:25 Public testimony will be taken
14:26 at the end of this hearing.
14:28 Individuals will be called on
14:29 in the order in which they
14:31 signed up and will have two
14:31 minutes to testify.
14:34 If you are interested in
14:35 testifying in person, please
14:36 add your name to the sign up
14:37 sheet near the entrance of the
14:37 chamber.
14:39 If you are looking to testify
14:41 virtually, please email our
14:43 central staff liaison shane
14:47 pack at shane
14:47 from.Pack@boston.Gov.
14:49 For the link and your name will
14:50 be added to the list.
14:53 Today's hearing is on docket
14:56 number 0591 order for a hearing
14:58 to review funding reimbursement
15:00 and accountability for the
15:02 police overtime details in the
15:02 city of boston.
15:05 This matter was sponsored by
15:05 councilor murphy.
15:07 councilor fitzgerald and
15:08 councilor flynn and was
15:09 referred to the committee on
15:12 MARCH 18th, 2026 and docket
15:16 number 0696 order for a hearing
15:17 to discuss boston's police
15:19 department's staffing levels.
15:21 This matter was sponsored by
15:22 councilor murphy,
15:23 councilor flynn and was
15:24 referred to the committee on
15:26 APRIL 1st, 2026.
15:28 Today I am joined by my
15:29 colleagues in order of arrival.
15:30 Councilor flynn.
15:33 Councilor murphy and
15:33 councilor fitzgerald.
15:38 Um, before I had to do is
15:39 today's um, panel.
15:41 Um really appreciate um so
15:42 being here with us.
15:45 I'm going to give um, the
15:45 opportunity for my colleagues
15:47 to give um, brief opening
15:48 statements starting with the
15:49 lead sponsor and then we'll go
15:50 in order of arrival.
15:52 Um, councilor murphy, you have
15:52 the floor.
15:55 Thank you chair.
15:57 And thank you, lisa, for being
15:57 here.
15:59 Um, I know how hard you work
16:01 and you were also here all day
16:02 last week.
16:04 We did have our police budget
16:06 hearing, um, last week.
16:09 So thank you for your always
16:11 professionalism and the answers
16:11 you can give us.
16:13 So happy you came back.
16:15 Unfortunate that the police
16:17 commissioner is not here.
16:21 Um, but we will go forward.
16:22 So both these hearing orders
16:23 along with the council flynn
16:26 and fitzgerald the one which.
16:27 one are we talking about
16:27 first?
16:30 It says order for our interview
16:32 accountability.
16:32 funding reimbursement and
16:33 And I know I touched on this
16:35 last week a little bit about
16:37 the questions but time and time
16:39 again a big piece of the
16:42 conversation around police
16:44 funding and wanting to defund
16:46 is around the amount of money
16:48 we spend on overtime and a lot
16:49 of overtime work that police do
16:52 is related to details and it's
16:53 very separate than actually
16:55 overtime covering shifts and
16:55 stuff.
16:58 So if um today I'm just hoping
17:01 to get more clear understanding
17:04 because I do know that many um
17:06 companies like boston water and
17:07 sewer feeney brothers others
17:09 are expected to pay for that um
17:12 given out.
17:12 ,overtime when the details are
17:14 So I think it's important
17:16 especially in this budget cycle
17:17 where it's the first one since
17:19 I've been here on the
17:19 council where we have to be
17:21 making some hard decisions and
17:22 really making sure that our
17:24 decisions are supporting and
17:25 defending the hard work that
17:27 the men and women of the police
17:27 department do.
17:29 So thank you for being here.
17:30 Looking forward to what we can.
17:33 I don't want to waste your time
17:34 but I appreciate that you're
17:34 here.
17:34 thank you, councilor murphy.
17:38 Councilor flynn, you have the
17:38 floor.
17:40 Thank you, mr chair.
17:43 I also want to acknowledge lisa
17:45 o'brien, an outstanding,
17:46 dedicated professional at the
17:47 boston police department.
17:49 Thank you for being here, lisa
17:50 ,and for your commitment to
17:52 the residents of the city.
17:57 The longstanding issues
17:58 of understaffing, overstretched
18:00 resources, forced overtime,
18:02 looming retirements of the
18:03 boston police department as a
18:05 public safety and public health
18:08 emergency which also disregards
18:09 officer's personal, physical
18:12 and emotional well-being as
18:13 well as that of their families
18:13 .
18:17 In JULY of 1980, the minimum
18:18 number of patrolmen at any
18:19 given time for the boston
18:24 police department rose from
18:26 2300 to 2500 by law and the
18:28 city municipal code to ensure
18:29 adequate staffing among
18:31 detailing projects in other
18:32 police duties.
18:35 The increase in voluntary
18:37 retirement in resignations is
18:39 resulting in mandatory overtime
18:40 for police officers.
18:44 In fact, resignations rose from
18:48 1 in 20 18 to 30 6 in 2022
18:50 while voluntary retirements
18:55 rose from 17 in 20 18 to 120 7
18:56 in 2022.
18:57 Current staff is ordered to
19:00 fill those gaps, resulting in
19:01 the physical and emotional
19:04 burnout of the officers but
19:05 potentially diminishing ability
19:07 to serve boston residents.
19:09 The environment at the boston
19:10 police department must be one
19:11 that fosters a strong
19:13 relationship within the
19:13 community.
19:16 It is important that there is
19:18 trust between officers in the
19:21 residence and officers in their
19:22 superiors officers who feel
19:24 valued and respected and more
19:26 likely to have positive
19:27 interaction with the public.
19:31 Ultimately improving trust and
19:32 cooperation through community
19:35 policing for the boston police
19:37 needs a consistent influx
19:38 of recruits to replace those
19:40 that are retiring, resigning
19:42 transferring to other police
19:44 departments from massachusetts
19:45 to help prevent shortages.
19:48 There are several recruiting
19:49 practices that can be put in
19:52 place to increase staffing
19:54 including mentorship programs
19:54 incentive programs.
19:56 Community outreach.
19:58 It is critical that the city
19:59 of boston act promptly to
20:02 ensure that the boston police
20:04 department is comfortably in
20:06 excess of 2500 officers to
20:08 prevent the overstretched
20:10 resources forced overtime
20:12 overworked officers that has
20:15 resulted in ongoing emergency
20:16 and crisis.
20:20 I also want to highlight that
20:22 we as a city and society used
20:24 to treat this profession with
20:25 the utmost respect.
20:27 When we were in grade school in
20:29 the class.
20:29 a police officer would visit
20:31 We were taught to respect them
20:34 for keeping our neighbors safe.
20:39 Now they are working mandatory
20:42 overtime 17 hour days, missing
20:43 significant time with their
20:46 families and not always treated
20:50 with respect by the public by
20:51 elected officials in the city.
20:54 We have to restore the respect
20:56 for the profession to keep
20:58 morale up so officers stay in
21:00 the job so that they don't
21:03 transfer to other police
21:05 departments or elsewhere and so
21:07 that we can recruit a new
21:09 generation of police officers
21:10 during this challenging time.
21:14 Police officers are not part
21:14 of the problem.
21:16 they are part of the solution.
21:17 Thank you, mr chair.
21:19 Thank you, councilor flynn.
21:20 I want to acknowledge we've
21:21 been joined by councilor weber
21:22 .
21:23 When I go to
21:24 councilor fitzgerald, um.
21:25 And then we'll go to the
21:25 council.
21:26 Leppard council fitzgerald on
21:26 the floor.
21:27 Chair.
21:27 Thank you.
21:28 And thank you for being here.
21:29 Uh, I look forward to learning
21:30 more about funding
21:32 reimbursement over time and
21:33 things of that nature to
21:34 educate myself and hopefully
21:36 offices and some solutions to
21:38 you as well that you could tell
21:40 me whether I'm crazy or not and
21:41 uh and uh I look forward to it
21:42 happening.
21:42 Thank you chair.
21:43 Thank you, councilor fitzgerald
21:44 .
21:45 Councilor weber, you have the
21:45 floor.
21:49 Uh.
21:50 yeah, sure.
21:50 Um.
21:51 I think, uh.
21:52 You as you saw.
21:55 Yesterday, we have uh, a $70
21:55 million.
21:56 Uh, deficit.
21:57 in our budget.
21:58 Um, a lot.
21:59 Of that is because.
22:00 Increased costs and.
22:03 Uh, maybe all of that 70
22:04 million.
22:06 Could be uh, attributed to uh,
22:08 spending over budget on police
22:08 overtime.
22:11 Um, we have, uh.
22:12 Try to, uh.
22:15 Obtain data that shows how many
22:15 hours.
22:16 Were working.
22:17 By different.
22:18 Categories but also.
22:19 How much are.
22:21 People actually working?
22:21 You know.
22:23 We uh of course you know, we've
22:24 heard from officers.
22:25 Who are working double.
22:27 Shifts every day but just to
22:28 actually get.
22:29 The data on how.
22:32 Often people are working double
22:34 shifts, how often they're being
22:34 called.
22:35 In, uh.
22:37 you know, on their off days.
22:40 Um, I maybe one of maybe my
22:40 colleagues have that data.
22:41 I I.
22:42 don't have that data.
22:44 Um, but we need to make sure,
22:47 you know, people, uh, can work
22:49 and and also live and raise.
22:50 a family.
22:52 But at the same time we have,
22:55 um, overtime spending here in
22:56 the city that's having real
22:58 impacts on almost every other
23:00 aspect of the services we
23:00 provide.
23:02 And so if you look at a city
23:05 like seattle, you know there's
23:06 complaints there because the
23:07 police department and this is
23:09 in a similar similarly sized
23:11 city slightly larger in fact
23:14 because they paid 500,000 hours
23:16 a year for police overtime here
23:18 in boston three years ago we
23:20 paid 1.3 million hours in
23:21 police overtime.
23:24 So, um, you know, I'm glad we
23:26 can have this conversation.
23:28 Uh, we could figure out what's
23:29 actually happening.
23:31 Um, how you know what the
23:33 burden on our police officers
23:36 who who do great work for the
23:36 city.
23:39 Uh, but also how to manage the
23:42 system in a way that, um, we're
23:46 not, uh, you know, uh,
23:47 unnecessarily draining this
23:49 city's coffers, which is, you
23:50 know, kind of like what we're
23:52 having a, uh, extensive debate
23:53 about what to do, uh, on this
23:55 year's but actually next year's
23:57 budget because of the overtime
23:58 we're spending in the police
23:59 department.
24:01 So, um, thank you very much,
24:02 chair and I look forward to the
24:02 conversation.
24:04 Thank you, councilor weber.
24:08 I would now like to introduce
24:09 today's panelists.
24:11 With us today we have lisa
24:11 o'brien.
24:13 Um, bureau of administration
24:14 and technology chief with the
24:16 boston police department.
24:17 I'm going to turn over the
24:17 floor to you.
24:19 I thank you again for being
24:19 here.
24:22 Um, and um, you know, answering
24:22 our questions.
24:24 Um, I'll turn the floor over
24:25 for you if you have any opening
24:26 remarks or presentation that
24:27 you want to give and we're
24:28 going to councilors questions.
24:29 Just want to thank the
24:30 councilors.
24:31 Um, good morning.
24:33 And thank you for allowing
24:34 me to come here today and
24:35 answer any questions that you
24:37 MAY have and hopefully I can
24:41 answer them as as much as
24:42 hopefully I can answer them
24:44 with what you're with your
24:44 questions.
24:46 Um, but thank you for having
24:47 mejia today.
24:48 So thank you.
24:50 Awesome.
24:52 so we're now going to go um to
24:53 councilor murphy and we're
24:58 going to do um six minutes and
24:59 they want to do a second round
25:00 of if needed.
25:01 Um, councilor murphy, you have
25:02 the floor.
25:02 Thank you.
25:04 um thank you.
25:05 Lisa, for being here.
25:08 I do just want to put on the
25:10 record that you weren't the
25:12 only person from the
25:13 administration that we had
25:13 invited.
25:15 We invited commissioner cox to
25:17 be here also.
25:19 And I do think that, um,
25:21 although I know you have the
25:23 answers we MAY need for some
25:25 of these questions that hearing
25:26 directly from the person who
25:29 makes these decisions, um, I
25:30 feel is necessary.
25:33 And the reason we found out
25:36 just this morning and I have a
25:38 feeling they knew all along
25:38 that he.
25:39 Was never going to show up is.
25:41 that he was here last week
25:43 at our budget hearing where we
25:45 do call in every department and
25:47 the heads come in, but the
25:47 commissioner.
25:51 Makes $359,895 a year.
25:54 That's close to.
25:55 $1,000 a day.
25:57 So to use an excuse because he
26:00 was here at work last week to
26:01 answer all of our.
26:03 Colleagues questions that
26:04 weren't only related to this
26:07 issue is insulting to me.
26:10 So being expected to come back
26:11 for a hearing that will
26:14 probably last an hour an hour
26:16 and a half and not showing the
26:18 respect to the body who funds
26:20 his salary and all of you know
26:21 the good work the police do.
26:23 i think it's insulting.
26:27 But that being said, if you
26:28 could.
26:29 If we could start with details
26:30 if you could just.
26:32 Explain give an overview of the
26:34 different types of details that
26:38 there are um and how many like
26:40 in the past if we want to use
26:41 the past couple of years um,
26:44 you know, details that we've
26:45 had and how many go like on.
26:50 Unfilled filled thank you.
26:51 Yes unfilled and the difference
26:52 I think I.
26:54 Think I understand this but if
26:56 you could also explain just for
26:57 those listening um.
26:59 The difference between filling
26:59 a.
27:01 Detail and then the overtime
27:03 and how that's different and
27:05 also when officers get paid
27:08 through filling a detail is
27:09 that also not part of their
27:11 pension if you could just talk.
27:12 Through some of those basic
27:12 of course.
27:13 that would help.
27:13 us.
27:14 Ground us into.
27:14 then.
27:15 Asking more questions.
27:17 So I first want to start out
27:20 with that um pay details are
27:21 not part of fund 100.
27:23 The general fund doesn't it's
27:26 not reflected on our budget
27:27 anywhere unless there is a
27:28 receivable on the books that
27:31 was deemed uncollectible but
27:33 details are paid by the vendor
27:34 offices work in these details
27:37 are on a paid day off or a
27:38 vacation or some of the other
27:40 reason why he can work that
27:41 detail is not during his
27:42 regular tour of duty.
27:45 Um I wouldn't say that we have
27:46 a high collection rate of these
27:48 receivable so not much has been
27:49 written off to the overtime
27:50 budget.