HAWTHORNE – A Hawthorne Police Officer earned an eye watering $246,000 in overtime in 2022.
His overtime pay of $246,000 was more than twice his regular pay of $106,000, with total wages of $465,208, according to data from the state controller.In 2021, the same officer clocked $206,000 in overtime, with his regular salary being $92,000.It is believed their overtime was earned working at special events in Inglewood under a Memorandum of Understanding between the Inglewood and Hawthorne police departments for Supplemental Law Enforcement Services.The officer earned more in overtime than those with a higher rank.The contract between the cities is funded by Inglewood’s General Fund and was first awarded in July 2021.The contract was last amended on Sept. 26 where the agreement was extended an additional year and included an adjustment of the hourly rate for a total of $1.3 million.The rate was $105 per hour and is now at $112 per hour.The only rank Hawthorne seeks reimbursement for is officer. Should a sergeant or lieutenant be called to a special event in Inglewood, Hawthorne can only request reimbursement at the rate for an officer under the current agreement.Inglewood has allocated close to $3.5 million to Hawthorne Police Department in two years.And it appears that the bulk of the overtime is only given to one officer.