THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 24, 1995 TAG: 9509240115
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B7 EDITION: FINAL
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Short : 36 lines
For the second time this month, the city has agreed to pay a large cash settlement to a group of police officers who are suing Norfolk for overtime pay.
On Monday, the city agreed to pay $475,000 to 26 K-9 officers - an average of $18,269 per officer before legal fees and other costs. The officers will split the fund based on the amount of hours worked, said their attorney, Andrew M. Sacks.
The settlement came just one day before the case was scheduled for a two-week trial in federal court.
Last year, the city paid the K-9 officers, who also serve in the city's emergency response team, $315,000 for two years of overtime pay. The officers claimed they were owed more. They accused the city of acting in bad faith and claimed they were entitled to a third year of back pay and double damages.
The city created a new overtime policy for K-9 officers in February 1994, allowing the officers one hour a day to groom, feed and exercise their dogs at home. That will not change.
On Sept. 6, the city agreed to pay $200,000 to 36 police supervisors who had sued for overtime pay.
Two more police lawsuits are pending in federal court, one by 43 Norfolk detectives, the other by eight Norfolk animal control officers. Both seek back overtime pay. Those suits will not be directly affected by the latest settlement.
KEYWORDS: LAWSUIT NORFOLK OVERTIME PAY by CNB