LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Mayor Craig Greenberg wants Metro Council to increase the overtime budget for the Louisville Metro Police Department.
Greenberg's proposal includes roughly $22 million for overtime in the next budget — about $1 million more than last year.
The request is a small piece of the police department's overall budget and the city's billion dollar spending plan. It follows recent WDRB reporting on overtime trends within LMPD.
Overtime cost taxpayers $66 million in the last three years. Between 2023-25, payroll records show 17 officers more than doubled their pay with overtime. Another 170 officers made at least $50,000 in overtime last year alone.
"We have no concerns from what we've seen that there's any malfeasance going on with the overtime," LMPD Chief Paul Humphrey said. "You have seen the effect of officers being out there, being proactive and being visible having a direct correlation to the reduction of — particularly violent — crime in the city."
LMPD's contract with Metro Government includes a provision stating, "annual leave/holidays shall be computed as days worked for the purposes of overtime."
The clause in effect allows officers to leverage vacation for overtime without working extra minutes. The average employee went from making about $10,000 a year in overtime in 2023 to $25,000 last year — a 40% increase that outpaced wage gains.
State Sen. Jimmy Higdon, co-chair of the public pension oversight board, raised concerns about potential pension impacts tied to overtime earnings. For many officers, pensions are calculated based on their highest-earning years.
"Obviously there's an issue when you have the amount of money that's been paid out over the last couple of years for overtime and by a small group of officers," said Higdon, a Republican from Lebanon, Kentucky. "I think PPOB, what we want to do, is shine some sunlight on that and see is there a better way to do this."
Higdon said he plans to review LMPD overtime practices and consider possible legislative action if needed.
The overtime issue came to light in the aftermath of a domestic violence call. In January 2024, Donna Stukenborg was held captive by her ex-boyfriend with a knife. It took police three hours to respond to a 911 run after Sgt. Todd Jenkins told the officers first assigned to the run not to go because their shift was ending. He was the highest paid employee in Metro Government that year, making nearly $300,000 in 2024, largely from overtime.
Stukenborg suffered a fractured orbital bone and a brain bleed, among other injuries. It's the subject of an ongoing lawsuit.
"I want things to change, and people to be safe and protected," Stukenborg said. "I don't cops like this working for us, we pay their salaries."
A judge dismissed Stukenborg's lawsuit against Jenkins in Jefferson Circuit Court as it was filed after the one-year statute of limitations had passed. Barber contends Metro Government deliberately delayed open records requests and concealed Jenkins role in the slow response to her home. He's taking the case to the court of appeals.
Metro Councilwoman Tammy Hawkins said she would support an investigation into LMPD overtime practices.
Copyright 2026 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.
