Police take home city's biggest paychecks

Police in Boston were by far the city's top earners last year, with 25 Police Department employees earning more than $200,000, nearly four times the number who made that amount in 2005, according to city payroll figures released to the Globe.

Of the 125 highest paid city employees last year, all but one -- Superintendent of Schools Michael G. Contompasis, who made $221,574 -- were police officers, the records show.

Police have long been big earners in Boston, where a powerful union and private detail work have helped boost pay. But in 2006, the amounts were higher than in recent years. Police Lieutenant Timothy M. Kervin collected $240,183 in 2006, making him the top earner in a department in which 1,276 employees, about 41 percent of the force, made $100,000 or more. In 2005, 1,026 employees, about 36 percent of the force, made $100,000 or more.

City officials attributed much of the increase in police pay to increased detail work and overtime, prompting some city watchdogs to say that overtime has prevented the city from making strides toward a larger police force.

"This is one of the reasons why it's difficult for the city of Boston to add more police officers and expand the force, because the position itself is so expensive," said Samuel R. Tyler, president of the Boston Municipal Research Bureau, a business-funded group.

In 2006, the average uniformed police officer made $113,617, including $35,600 in detail and overtime pay, according to figures provided by city budget officials. Firefighters, on average, made $91,087 in 2006, including about $12,500 in overtime and detail pay. The average teacher made $62,195 in total pay.

The payroll figures were released as a result of a public records request.

Police Superintendent Robert P. Dunford said the department had to pay overtime of $800,000 to $1 million a month during the time the Ted Williams Tunnel and Interstate 90 connector tunnel were closed after concrete ceiling panels in the connector tunnel collapsed. The city hopes to recoup those costs through a lawsuit against a Big Dig contractor.

Dunford said officers should not be criticized for making money. "They're utilizing the opportunities presented to them to work extra hours," he said. "And the overwhelming majority of the officers are doing it within the union contracts and within the operations of the department." Department rules prohibit police from working longer than 17 hours in a day or 90 hours a week.

Dunford also said police captains have been working longer hours to attend more neighborhood meetings and boost patrols. "The commissioner wants very high visibility of the captains, and he wants them to have a presence and get feedback into the department on how we can police the community better," he said. "The proof in the pudding is that with the accountability and initiatives that we put out, the crime has gone down."

The city is in the midst of negotiations with its unions. A handful of the contracts have been settled, but the major ones, including police, fire, and teachers, are still at the bargaining table.

City officials have sought to make a case that the city cannot afford to provide generous contract packages. On Tuesday, for example , the city reached a preliminary contract agreement that provides the 1,500-member American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees with a 10 percent raise over four years. The union also agreed to increase employee contributions to health insurance from 10 percent to 15 percent of the cost, a contract city officials hope will become a blueprint for other major contracts.

"Many factors contribute to the costs of running our city, including overtime costs associated with the Big Dig tunnel collapse that required weeks of public safety monitoring," said Lisa C. Signori, the city's chief financial officer. "We will continue to work with departments to ensure that overtime is appropriately managed and the city is able to maintain fiscal responsibility."

Mayor Thomas M. Menino, who was paid $166,731, was ranked 127th among some 16,000 full-time employees paid last year. All of those earning more were from the Police Department, except for Contompasis and Bernard Margolis, president of the Boston Public Library, who made $167,016. One-hundred-twenty-two officers made more than Police Commissioner Edward F. Davis's $167,500 annual salary, according to the records.

Overall, salaries citywide increased by about 2 percent over 2005, from $1.09 billion in 2005 to $1.12 billion in 2006. Police salaries, though, were up 11 percent, from $237.2 million in 2005 to $263.6 million in 2006. Fire salaries were up 5 percent, from $139.7 million in 2005 to $146.9 million in 2006.

Matt Viser can be reached at maviser@globe.com.