After repeated efforts by the DEA over the last two labor contract negotiation cycles with the City, we recently negotiated and secured an agreement to provide the majority of commands with an additional stipend to compensate for the many hours spent working during what is actually off-duty time.
As you know, our DEA Time Tracking App has been proving that our “off the clock work” invariably results in time away from families, infringes upon off-duty time, and interferes with our members’ personal obligations.
Therefore, this most recent agreement provides long overdue compensation to our affected Detectives. This compensation will be in addition to the negotiated collective bargaining agreements reached between the DEA and the City for the 2019 to 2022, and 2022 to 2027, rounds of collective bargaining, where Detectives saw their respective base wages increased by over 25%, as well as increases in other monetary and operational benefits.
As of December 31, 2025, Year-to-Date results thus far show that 132 members have used the App, and they have entered 589 activities totaling 484 hours, 49 minutes, and 4 seconds. Cumulative results since the App’s inception show that 749 members have used the App and they have entered 5,572 activities totaling 3,758 hours, 46 minutes, and 21 seconds.
As a result of this data provided by members using the Time Tracking App, the Union was able to negotiate an “Off-Duty Stipend” of $705 per annum which, beginning in 2026, will be received by Detectives in Squads, Units, and Teams within the Detective Bureau, the Collision Investigations Squad, Technical Assistance & Response Unit, Internal Affairs Bureau, Intelligence Division, Counterterrorism Bureau, the Joint Terrorism Task Force, and the Family Assistance Unit, amongst others.
This stipend will be remitted as part of one’s regular bi-weekly paycheck and is designed to compensate for up to six (6) hours of off-duty overtime work. As a result of this agreement with the City and the Police Department, any disputes involving off-duty overtime claims shall be subject to the grievance/arbitration procedures set forth in the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Furthermore, in the event that a Detective works above and beyond the (6) six-hour limit, he/she must obtain supervisory approval to conduct such off-duty overtime work, keeping in mind that if a superior officer contacts a Detective to engage in such off-duty overtime work, approval is presumed.
In order to keep providing the Department and the City with overtime data, we implore you to continue to use the Time Tracking App. Utilization of the App will allow the Union to track the instances when Detectives exceed the (6) six-hour cap on off-duty overtime work, and this additional data will allow the DEA to negotiate further enhancements to the above-stated monetary benefit during the next round of bargaining.
At this time, according to OLR, about 75% of our active DEA members will get the stipend. The only members who, at this time, will not receive it are those in some specialized Units.
Our Time Tracking App can be used on your electronic device (computer, iPad, iPhone, or other cell phone device). Download the App from Google or Apple App stores. We need this critical, hard data to secure increased economic benefits in the future!
We also want our members to know that this new agreement would not have been reached without the active engagement of Mayor Eric Adams and is the latest example of the former Mayor’s support of the members of the City’s law enforcement community.
In closing, please remember that the DEA invested a great deal of time and effort to develop our Time Tracking App. None of our members should work without compensation, and in support of gathering the proper data from this App, we urge you to utilize it for its intended purpose. We cannot help you without your support and cooperation. If you have any problems downloading or using the App, please reach out to our dedicated technical support team at either 1-(800) 913-8430 or 1-(888) 620-4446, or reach out to any of the DEA Board Officers.
