Politics
Overtime Cost Chicago Taxpayers $544.4M in 2025, Including $285.8M for Police, Down 6.3% From Last Year
(Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News)
Chicago taxpayers spent approximately $544.4 million on employee overtime in 2025 — 6.3% less than in 2024, with more than half of the total amount used to compensate Chicago Police Department officers for working extra hours, according to records obtained by WTTW News.
The $544.4 million includes approximately $77.3 million in holiday and compensatory time and more than $467 million paid directly to employees who worked more than eight hours a day or 40 hours per week, according to data published by the city’s Office of Budget and Management.
By comparison, the city spent $581 million on overtime in 2024, according to the data.
In all, Chicago taxpayers spent $285.8 million on overtime for members of the Chicago Police Department during 2025, 5.6% less than the previous year, but 185% more than the $100 million Chicago City Council set aside for police overtime as part of the city’s annual budget, according to the data.
By comparison, CPD spent $302.9 million on overtime in 2024, according to the data.
In 2026, CPD has a budget of $200 million for overtime. To finish 2026 on budget, CPD must reduce its spending on overtime by 30% as compared with what the department spent in 2025.
The city of Chicago spent at least $60.8 million on overtime for members of the Chicago Police Department during the first three months of 2026, according to updated records published by the city’s watchdog.
WTTW News’ analysis of 2025 overtime spending relies on a dataset published by city officials that “is subject to updates and modifications due to the course of business, including activities such as canceling, adjusting, and reissuing checks.”
In 2025, more than 190 city employees earned more than $100,000 in overtime alone, on top of their salaries, according to a WTTW News analysis of the data. Of those city employees, more than 63% are members of the Chicago Police Department.
In September 2024, officials imposed limits on overtime for all city departments, except for police and the Chicago Fire Department, amid a massive budget crunch.
Five city departments spent more on overtime in 2025 than the previous year, according to the data.
The Chicago Fire Department spent $118.9 million on overtime in 2025, 1.7% more than in 2024. The Department of Water Management spent $48 million on overtime, 2.1% more than in 2024. The Department of Aviation spent $28.4 million on overtime, 8.9% more than in 2024, according to the data.
The Department of Law and the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability also spent more on overtime in 2025 than they did in 2024, but spent approximately $5,300 combined, according to the data.
Contact Heather Cherone: @HeatherCherone | (773) 569-1863 | [email protected]
Contact Jared Rutecki: @JaredRutecki | [email protected]
