Nearly 50 officers each earned more than $100,000 in overtime in 2024, finds report
The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) is expecting an $8-million budget overage for 2025, with more employees earning larger amounts from overtime, according to a report.
In 2024, the department reported an overage of $6.5 million, according to CBC.
Overall, the VPD spent $39 million on overtime in 2024, a 50 per cent increase from $26 million two years earlier.
Among those who received overtime pay, 47 officers each earned more than $100,000 in overtime alone, according to data obtained by CBC News through a freedom of information request.
One sergeant received $239,258 in overtime, in addition to a base salary of up to $158,000.
VPD spokesperson Sgt. Steve Addison said the case of the top overtime earner was an exception, and that overtime can result from backfilling patrol vacancies, protest policing, special events, or investigations. “We’re grateful to those who are willing to come out to serve the city, take time away from their families to keep people safe,” he told CBC News.
But Green Party Coun. Pete Fry said the revelations are "eyebrow raising" and deserve answers, in the report.
Only a fifth of Canadian professionals are sticking to their traditional core office hours, with the majority working beyond the standard workday to keep up with demands, according to a previous report.
Who’s taking the most overtime?
The VPD has seen overtime spending increase from just $16 million in 2020.
And constables are the ones most likely to do overtime work, according to the CBC report.
The VPD’s Regulation and Procedure Manual outlines several types of overtime, including extended tours of duty, call-outs, standby, investigative phone calls, and planned overtime for special events. While some overtime costs are recovered through contracts with event organisers—nearly $12 million was repaid in 2024—the overall trend points to increasing strain on resources.
Major events such as the Lapu-Lapu Day tragedy, large-scale protests, the Celebration of Light fireworks, and major concerts have contributed to the need for additional staffing. The VPD managed 937 protests in 2024.
The Vancouver Police Board is currently finalising an audit into overtime spending, according to a board staff member.
At the industrial inquiry commission examining Canada Post’s financial position and workforce practices earlier this year, the issue of overtime was raised.
Here’s how many overtime hours were recorded, weekly, in different industries in the past few years, according to Statistics Canada (StatCan):
|
North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
Hours |
|||||
|
Total employees at work |
1.6 |
1.6 |
1.5 |
1.4 |
1.4 |
|
Goods-producing sector |
2.1 |
2.1 |
2.2 |
2.0 |
2.0 |
|
Agriculture |
1.2 |
1.1 |
1.1 |
1.3 |
1.2 |
|
Forestry, fishing, mining, quarrying, oil and gas |
3.3 |
3.7 |
4.0 |
3.4 |
3.6 |
|
Utilities |
2.9 |
2.9 |
3.0 |
2.5 |
2.7 |
|
Construction |
2.0 |
2.1 |
2.1 |
2.2 |
2.0 |
|
Manufacturing |
1.9 |
1.9 |
1.9 |
1.7 |
1.7 |
|
Services-producing sector |
1.4 |
1.4 |
1.4 |
1.3 |
1.3 |
|
Wholesale and retail trade |
1.0 |
0.9 |
0.9 |
0.8 |
0.8 |
|
Transportation and warehousing |
2.0 |
1.8 |
1.8 |
1.7 |
1.8 |
|
Finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing |
1.5 |
1.6 |
1.4 |
1.4 |
1.3 |
|
Professional, scientific and technical services |
1.8 |
1.7 |
1.6 |
1.4 |
1.5 |
|
Business, building and other support services |
1.3 |
1.2 |
1.3 |
1.1 |
1.0 |
|
Educational services |
2.5 |
2.7 |
2.3 |
2.3 |
2.2 |
|
Health care and social assistance |
1.4 |
1.4 |
1.5 |
1.3 |
1.2 |
|
Information, culture and recreation |
1.2 |
1.4 |
1.3 |
1.0 |
1.0 |
|
Accommodation and food services |
0.5 |
0.5 |
0.6 |
0.5 |
0.5 |
|
Other services (except public administration) |
1.1 |
1.0 |
1.2 |
1.2 |
1.1 |
|
Public administration |
1.7 |
1.7 |
1.6 |
1.6 |
1.5 |
