Police officers in Plainfield comprise 3/4 of the Top 20 earners. Why they earn so much OT

The Plainfield Police Department comprised more than three-fourths of the town’s top 20 earners during fiscal 2023, with many officers seeing a substantial increase in pay due to special duty and overtime earnings.

Overtime and special duty are two different financial commitments by the town. Overtime is paid for by the town and appears as a line item on the budget. Members of the Plainfield Police Department earn overtime for police-related work beyond their normal working hours. Examples where a member could earn overtime include working on major case investigations or covering a shift for another officer.

Special duty or outside overtime is paid for by a contractor, and funds are simply passed through the town. Contractors hire officers to direct traffic during road construction or to provide security at a special event such as Plainfield Bike Night.

How much overtime are Plainfield PD members earning?

Plainfield Police Officer Ryan Barile was the Town of Plainfield’s highest paid employee in fiscal 2023, as he earned a gross salary of $153,059.66. Of that gross salary, $49,637.04 came from special duty earnings and $6,783.50 was earned through overtime.

The town’s second highest paid employee for FY23 was Plainfield Police Officer Keith Johnson-Conway. He made $147,040.34 in gross pay, which included $52,406.41 in special duty compensation and $17,306.66 in overtime pay.

How does this compare year over year?

Members of the Plainfield Police Department earned about 8% more in special duty and overtime earnings in FY23 than the year before.

Thirty-seven members of the Plainfield Police Department earned $2,465,481.46 in gross wages for FY23. This includes the police chief, deputy police chief, police officers, an administrative assistant, a police department mechanic as well as part-time and full-time dispatchers.

Of the nearly $2.47 million that they earned, $617,828.52, or about 25%, was special duty and overtime. Of those earnings, $469,821.34 came via special duties and $148,007.18 was earned through overtime.

In comparison, 33 members of the police department earned $2,206,171.95 in gross wages for FY22.

Of the roughly $2.2 million, $372,662.73, or about 17%, came through special duty and overtime. Members of the department made $210,758.76 in special duty earnings and $161,903.97 in overtime.

Why are Plainfield police earning so much in overtime?

Plainfield First Selectman Kevin Cunningham said that the Plainfield Police Department has been understaffed the past few years and has used overtime to cover certain shifts.

“It’s a work in progress, hopefully to be resolved soon,” Cunningham said.

Cunningham believes the department has been understaffed because it is stressful being a police officer, which turns away many potential applicants.

“Every police department is looking for staffing right now,” Cunningham said. “It’s a very difficult field, not a lot of people want to apply for positions like that. It is difficult to retain. It’s a very stressful position.”

Efforts to increase staffing

The Plainfield Police Department hired new police officers Nicholas Brunelle and Benjamin Benoit on Monday. Plainfield Police Lieutenant Troy Gelinas said the department plans to hire another police officer, potentially in May.

The addition of the new hires will bring the number of officers in the Plainfield Police Department to 21, including the police chief and deputy police chief. The department hopes to one day increase that number to 23 when it becomes financially possible.

Earnings for members of the Plainfield Police Department

For a complete list of all Plainfield town employee salaries, check out our related story here.

This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Why do Plainfield police earn so much overtime? What the town says