>> ONCE AGAIN, BE MASSIVE AMOUNT OF TAXPAYER MONEY SPENT TO PAY OVERTIME TO MEMBERS OF THE CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS A FLASHPOINT IN THE ANNUAL NEGOTIATIONS OVER THE CITY SPENDING PLAN.

NEW CHICAGO POLICE SUPERINTENDENT LARRY SNELLING VOWS TO BE MORE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE.

BUT HE MADE NO PROMISES THAT THE DEPARTMENT WOULD ACTUALLY SPEND LESS ON OVERTIME IN 2024.

WBTW NEWS REPORTER HEATHER SHARON JOINS US NOW WITH MORE.

HEATHER, HOW MUCH IS CHICAGO ON TRACK TO SPEND THIS YEAR ON POLICE OVERTIME AND WHAT THE CITY SPENT LAST YEAR?

SO THE CITY HAS ALREADY SPENT 200 MILLION DOLLARS ON POLICE OVERTIME.

>> AND REMAINS ON TRACK TO END THE YEAR AT 250 MILLION DOLLARS IN POLICE OVERTIME.

BILL THAT REPRESENTS A MASSIVE INCREASE FROM 2022.

WHEN THE CITY END OF THE YEAR WITH OVERTIME BILLS, ABOUT 210 MILLION DOLLARS.

AND EVEN THAT WAS A MASSIVE INCREASE FROM 2021.

THERE APPEARS TO NO END IN SIGHT TO THESE INCREASES SEEMS TO BE HAVE HAVE STEADILY GONE UP YEAR AFTER HOW MUCH DOES MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON SPENDING PLANS SET ASIDE FOR POLICE OVERTIME IN 2024.

SO EVEN THOUGH IN EACH OF THE PAST 5 YEARS, THE CITY HAS SPENT FAR MORE THAN 100 MILLION DOLLARS ON POLICE OVERTIME FIELD EVERY YEAR.

THE CITY HAS SET ASIDE JUST THAT 100 MILLION DOLLARS AND WILL DO SO AGAIN IN 2024, ALTHOUGH NOBODY SEEMS TO BELIEVE THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY COME IN ANYWHERE NEAR THAT AMOUNT IN OVERTIME.

SO FIRST, WARD ALDERMAN DANIEL SPOT.

I ASKED SEWING WHETHER THE CITY WAS, QUOTE, DO TO SPEND MORE THAN MORE THAN THAT ON POLICE OVERTIME IN 2024.

>> HOW DID HE RESPOND?

SUPERINTENDENTS TELLING SAID >> PROBABLY BECAUSE THERE'S A GREAT POSSIBILITY.

HE SAID THAT THERE WILL BE SOME SORT OF PUBLIC SAFETY CONFLAGRATION THAT WILL REQUIRE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO SPEND MORE ON OVERTIME.

AND THOSE ARE JUST THE UNANTICIPATED PROBLEMS.

WE HAVE THE KNOWN KNOWNS THAT ARE GOING TO COST THE CITY OVER TIME LIKE THE NASCAR RACE AND LOLLAPALOOZA.

AND THEN OF COURSE, THERE IS THE DNC AS HOW LIKELY IS SNOWING TO MAKE GOOD ON PROMISES TO REIN IN POLICE SPENDING ON OVERTIME?

WELL, YOU KNOW, VOWED TO BE MORE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE AND TO HOLD DISTRICT COMMANDERS RESPONSIBLE IF THEY GO OVER THEIR OVERTIME BUDGET.

BUT INSPECTOR GENERAL DE PERE BERG HAS TOLD ME THAT THIS OVERSPENDING SYMPTOM OF A MUCH DEEPER AND MORE SYSTEMIC PROBLEM AND HOW THE DEPARTMENT ALLOCATES ITS RESOURCES AND HOW IT RESPONDS TO PUBLIC SAFETY THREATS, WHICH CAN BE ADDRESSED WITH JUST A FEW REMARKS AT A BUDGET HEARING IN A BUDGET WORTH 2 BILLION DOLLARS ANNUAL OBVIOUSLY SOUNDS LIKE A MUCH MORE LONG-TERM PROBLEM.

THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ADDRESS AT SHARON.

I'M SURE WE'LL BE FOLLOWING IT FOR US.

THANKS SO MUCH.

SURE.

WELL, THANKS FOR