The California Highway Patrol mobilized across the state during the demonstrations against the police killing of George Floyd and racial injustice — and now it is asking for millions of dollars to help pay for overtime costs.
The CHP says it accrued more than $38 million in overtime during protests at the state Capitol, in Los Angeles and elsewhere in California between May 28 and June 11, according to a letter from the Department of Finance to a joint budget committee released on Tuesday.
The letter states that CHP racked up “an estimated total of 431,454 hours of unanticipated overtime at a cost of $38,226,000.”
CHP is asking for more than $13 million to help cover those costs. And millions of dollars more have already been appropriated under the governor's state of emergency.
Officers sealed off the state Capitol for days as demonstrations filled Sacramento's streets. Some also hit protesters with batons to keep them from blocking Interstate 5.
