Chicago: Mayor Brandon Johnson Signs Executive Order Capping Police Overtime Spending, Creates New Oversight Framework
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CHICAGO ~ Chicago Mayor Signs Executive Order to Regulate Police Overtime Spending

In an effort to bring more accountability and transparency to the Chicago Police Department's overtime spending, Mayor Brandon Johnson has signed an executive order today. The order, known as Executive Order 2025-11, establishes a framework that sets clear guidelines and procedures for authorizing overtime spending that exceeds the cap set in annual appropriations ordinances.

Under this new order, the CPD will no longer have the authority to unilaterally exceed the budgeted overtime cap, unless it is deemed a legitimate emergency. In such cases, the department must first receive authorization from both the Mayor and the Office of Budget Management (OBM) before submitting an ordinance to the City Council for approval.

Mayor Johnson stated that this executive order is long overdue and brings much-needed discipline and accountability to the overtime process. He also emphasized that by implementing a structure that prioritizes fiscal responsibility and modernized workforce practices, they are not only protecting the well-being of officers but also ensuring that taxpayer dollars are being spent responsibly.

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The order also directs CPD and OBM to devise administrative oversight measures that discourage routine reliance on overtime and prioritize officer health and wellness. This includes avoiding excessive overtime assignments and reviewing deployment practices that generate high amounts of overtime.

Any additional requests for overtime must now be reviewed by OBM at least three months in advance. The requests must detail the operations requiring additional funding, which districts or units will be affected, where the funding will come from within the department's annual appropriation, and steps taken to mitigate excessive overtime.

However, in cases of genuine emergencies, Mayor Johnson retains the authority to authorize overtime spending. All emergency overtime spending will be documented and subject to administrative review.

This executive order aligns with Mayor Johnson's commitment to fiscal responsibility and public safety strategies that prioritize officer wellness and community trust. In recent years, Chicago has seen a regular pattern of exceeding appropriations for police overtime, putting a strain on the city's finances.

In fact, Mayor Johnson had previously introduced a management ordinance within the FY26 budget proposal that would have required CPD to seek additional funds from the City Council before exceeding the budgeted overtime cap. However, the measure did not receive enough support from the Council.

The signed Executive Order 2025-11 will be available for public viewing on the City Clerk's website. With this new framework in place, Mayor Johnson hopes to bring more transparency and accountability to police overtime spending and ensure that taxpayer dollars are being used responsibly.

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