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Boston Police Grapple With Growing Overtime Costs

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Boston police ride through the finish line area before the 121st Boston Marathon on Monday, April 17, 2017. The Police Department says covering special events and challenges with recruitment and retention have lead to an increase in overtime costs, but The Boston Globe analysis tells a different story. (Elise Amendola/AP)
Boston police ride through the finish line area before the 121st Boston Marathon on Monday, April 17, 2017. The Police Department says covering special events and challenges with recruitment and retention have lead to an increase in overtime costs, but The Boston Globe analysis tells a different story. (Elise Amendola/AP)

The top 10 earners in the city of Boston last year all made at least $315,000 and they were all police officers. Usually, this story is about officers gaming the system in order to make more money in overtime. But that's not what's happening here.

There aren't enough officers to meet the needs, so many are being told they have to work overtime to fill in for colleagues who are sick, injured or on vacation.

Guest

Meghan Irons, Boston Globe reporter covering City Hall. She tweets @MeghanIrons.

Daniel Linskey, retired superintendent-in-chief of the Boston Police and head of the Boston office of Kroll consulting firm, where he's a managing director in the investigations and disputes practice. He tweets @ChiefLinskey.

This segment aired on May 1, 2017.

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