The department’s watchdogs and Public Integrity Bureau are now reviewing time sheets and video tied to two veteran officers.
NEW ORLEANS, La. — Two of the New Orleans Police Department’s highest overtime earners were recorded at home during hours they had clocked in to work, prompting an internal investigation announced Friday, Nov. 14, and renewed scrutiny of how the agency tracks overtime.
The findings center on Sergeant Henry Burke and Senior Police Officer Brandon Coleman, both among the city’s top-paid officers last year. Payroll records show Burke earned $245,903 in 2024, including $121,460 in overtime, while Coleman took home more than $217,000. After undercover cameras captured multiple instances this summer when the officers’ time sheets said they were working but video showed them at their residences, NOPD confirmed its Public Integrity Bureau opened a policy and procedures probe. The city’s Office of Inspector General is separately auditing department-wide overtime. Neither officer has been reassigned. The investigation’s outcome could affect discipline, overtime rules and public confidence in a force already stretched by staffing and budget strains.
Video collected over several days in July appears to conflict with entries on the officers’ time sheets. On July 13, a camera recorded Burke getting into a vehicle at 2:54 p.m., about 24 minutes after he clocked in at 2:30 p.m., with his district station roughly a 25-minute drive away. Two days later, another camera showed Burke returning home at 6:54 a.m., six minutes before the end of his shift. On July 16, video showed him leaving home at 3:02 p.m., more than 30 minutes after his listed start time. Coleman’s records and video raised similar questions. On July 22, his initial time sheet reflected a shift from 6:25 a.m. to 11 p.m., more than 16 hours, while video documented him entering his unit at 10:08 a.m., hours after clocking in. After Coleman discovered a camera on July 28, new video recorded him the next day clocking in at 6:25 a.m. but remaining at home until 7:41 a.m. Both men declined interviews on the findings.
Chief Anne Kirkpatrick said officers driving home at the end of a shift are not considered on duty and emphasized that department policy governs when pay begins and ends. “When their duty hour has come to an end, they’re off duty,” Kirkpatrick said, noting many officers have take-home vehicles. City leaders signaled urgency. Mayor-elect Helena Moreno called the footage “really disturbing” given the city’s tight finances and said any abuse must be “absolutely cut out.” City Councilmember Joe Giarrusso said payroll integrity and morale go hand in hand, warning that inconsistent enforcement risks creating a culture where others may follow bad examples. Skip Gallagher, a forensic analyst who tracks NOPD overtime, urged close review of cases where annual pay climbs past $160,000, saying those sums are difficult to reach without careful scheduling controls. The Office of Inspector General said its audit of payroll fraud, waste and abuse is ongoing and includes NOPD’s overtime policies and usage.
Overtime has long been a pressure point for New Orleans policing. The department relies on extended shifts and paid details amid persistent vacancies and rising call loads. In 2024, at least 23 officers earned more in overtime than in base salary, according to payroll records reviewed for this report. Previous disciplinary cases have touched similar themes, including suspensions and court-tested penalties tied to timekeeping and detail work. Supporters of aggressive overtime argue it helps cover thin patrols and specialized assignments; critics counter that unchecked hours raise burnout risks, skew pay equity and invite abuse. City auditors and outside watchdogs have repeatedly recommended tighter approval, real-time verification and clearer enforcement. Friday’s announcement places those perennial debates back in the spotlight, with specific incidents now under review and the broader system under audit.
The Public Integrity Bureau’s inquiry is the first step in the department’s internal process. Investigators will compare reported hours to GPS, camera footage and records from supervisors and assignment logs. Outcomes can range from policy clarification to discipline through the Civil Service framework, depending on findings and past history. Officials said no timeline was set for the probe, and no personnel changes have been made. The inspector general’s audit of overtime practices is proceeding on a separate track, with the agency expected to issue findings and recommendations once its review is complete. City leaders have asked for prompt updates. Any proposed changes to overtime tracking, approval or enforcement would move through NOPD policy channels and, where required, the City Council and Civil Service Commission.
Outside NOPD headquarters on Friday, reactions reflected a mix of frustration and caution. “Every cent matters right now,” Moreno said, pressing for swift answers without prejudging the officers’ intent. Giarrusso said the council wants “a clean payroll” to keep top performers and rebuild trust. Neighborhood leaders who have pushed for more patrols said they worry high overtime totals can mask staffing shortages. Gallagher said the audit should match time sheets to verifiable work, noting that hours above usual thresholds warrant closer validation. Kirkpatrick’s office said she was out of town and unavailable to discuss the specific video but reiterated that the department invited the inspector general to review overtime across the force to “close this out” and standardize documentation.
As of Saturday evening, the internal investigation remained active with no disciplinary decisions announced. The inspector general’s department-wide overtime audit also continues without a public reporting date. Officials said further updates would be provided when reviews are complete or if personnel actions are initiated.
Author note: Last updated November 16, 2025.