LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Louisville Metro Police Chief Paul Humphrey said Wednesday he has “no concerns” about officer overtime, even as costs continue to rise.
Speaking during a live interview, Humphrey defended the department’s use of overtime, saying supervisors ensure all hours are tied to legitimate staffing needs.
“We have no concerns from what we’ve seen that there’s any malfeasance going on with the overtime,” 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.”
Metro Government payroll records show the department has spent $66 million on overtime over the past three years, with increases across the board.
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LMPD Chief Paul Humphrey says he has “no concerns” about overtime, defending it as necessary for visibility and crime reduction despite rising costs.
A WDRB investigation found $66 million spent on overtime in three years, with some officers doubling their pay and working 70–80 hour weeks.
Scrutiny grew after a delayed domestic violence response tied to an officer who was the department’s top overtime earner, along with delays in releasing internal records.
Records show:
170 officers earned at least $50,000 in overtime in 2025
17 officers have more than doubled their salary with overtime since 2023
Some of the highest earners worked 70 to 80 hours per week, sometimes going weeks without a day off
“I’m very happy that we have officers willing to put in the extra time to keep people safe,” Humphrey said.
Previous reporting also identified a clause in the police union contract allowing officers to count vacation or leave time as hours worked for overtime purposes. Since that change, average overtime pay has increased by about 40%, rising from roughly $10,000 per year in 2023 to $25,000 last year.
“I don’t necessarily control that so I have to make sure the officers play within the rules that we have,” Humphrey said. “So far there’s been no indication anyone hasn’t been following the rules.”
The agreement goes beyond federal Fair Labor Standards Act guidance, which does not require paid leave to count toward overtime hours. Of 21 union contracts across Metro Government, only police and fire include similar provisions. Fire department overtime costs are lower and include safeguards to limit excessive hours.
The issue drew attention after a January 2024 domestic violence call involving Donna Stukenborg, who was held captive by her ex-boyfriend. Police response was delayed by three hours after Sgt. Todd Jenkins told initially assigned officers not to respond because their shift was ending. Jenkins, the highest-paid Metro Government employee that year, earned nearly $300,000 in 2024, largely from overtime.
“Because you had one person that was working overtime that went to that call for service,” Humphrey said. “That doesn’t mean that’s the reason anything happened on a particular call for service.”
However, records show Jenkins assigned himself to the call but never responded.
Stukenborg suffered serious injuries, including a fractured orbital bone and a brain bleed, and the case is now part of an ongoing legal battle.
“People were held accountable for the decisions that were made that day,” Humphrey said. “Some of the decisions were made in a way that I don’t agree with or I would like to see done better but weren’t necessarily violations of rules.”
Metro Government faced criticism for delays in releasing internal investigation records related to the case. Months passed before key videos and interviews were made public.
In one interview, Jenkins told investigators he did not consider the call a high priority.
“I didn’t think that was a high priority, even a domestic of its nature, that they were just arguing on the steps,” Jenkins said.
As of now, some requested documents have still not been released.
Stukenborg’s attorney, David Barber, argued taxpayers should expect accountability.
“I don’t think any of us are going to be upset if it turns out that our tax dollars are being well spent and we’re paying fresh officers, we’re paying people that are doing their jobs right,” Barber said. “But if we find out that our tax dollars are going to pay fatigued officers who maybe are not following the operating procedures that are putting people in danger, nobody wants to pay for that.”
A judge dismissed Stukenborg’s lawsuit against Jenkins due to a statute of limitations issue, but her legal team plans to appeal.
Metro Councilwoman Tammy Hawkins said she would support an investigation into LMPD’s overtime practices.
Humphrey also emphasized transparency but faced questions over the department’s handling of public records requests related to the case.
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