Chicago to cut cop OT to pay for more police

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel plans to reduce police overtime by $40 million next year as he begins to deliver on his formidable promise to hire 970 additional police officers without raising sales, property or gasoline taxes.

The decision to apparently wean the Chicago Police Department away from its heavy dependence on overtime emerged during a meeting with the Chicago Sun-Times editorial board on the mayor's $8.2 billion budget for 2017.

The police department spent a record $116.1 million on overtime in 2015 - up 17.2 percent from the previous year - to mask a manpower shortage that has mushroomed under Emanuel with police retirements outpacing hiring by 975 officers.

For more, check <URL destination="http://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/rahm-emanuel-to-cut-police-ot-by-40m-in-1st-year-of-hiring-surge/">chicago.suntimes.com.