Who is the city of Columbus” highest paid employee?
It isn”t the mayor, the city administrative officer, or even the police chief.
It”s a police corporal.
Columbus police Cpl. Donnie Elkin made $35,907 just in overtime in 2010, driving his total compensation above the mayor”s and police chief”s salaries.
Including regular, overtime, sick and vacation pay, Elkin was compensated more than $80,000 last year — more than Mayor Robert Smith ($76,500) or Police Chief Joseph St. John ($72,100).
Elkin earned so much overtime merely because he volunteered the most. And after working an average 21 hours and 30 minutes of overtime per week in 2010 — 1,375 hours and 45 minutes total — Elkin said he”s earned his pay.
“I”ve worked my ass off to work that,” said Elkin, who is a 21-year veteran and shift supervisor. “I take time away from my family to come in and work.”
Elkin, like many other officers over the years, has taken advantage of the city”s loose overtime policy that has relied heavily on volunteers.
With several officers still in training, shift leaders often call in people like Elkin that they know want to work, St. John said.
“When we”re doing overtime, we try to get people who are a little more aggressive (at looking for extra hours) and are available,” he continued.
But concerns about burnout — not how much he”s making — is why Elkin”s hours have been reigned in this year, St. John said. Even so, Elkin is still on track to make a total of $59,022, which is more than what most of the city”s department heads make.
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