Thousands of police in Puerto Rico call in sick

Officers owed overtime pay following Hurricane Maria

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO— Thousands of police officers are calling in sick every day in Puerto Rico, partly to press demands for unpaid overtime pay for hurricane recovery efforts as concerns grow over people’s safety in a U.S. territory struggling to restore power. “We have had an inordinate amount of absences that we haven’t seen in years prior,” Puerto Rico police Chief Michelle Hernandez told The Associated Press, adding that while there has been a drop in major crimes this year, she is concerned that trend could reverse.

Normally, an average of 550 police officers are absent every day across Puerto Rico. But recently, more than 2,700 officers on average have been absent daily.

Public Affairs Secretary Ramon Rosario said the government has already made nearly $15 million (U.S.) in overtime payments since Hurricane Maria hit more than three months ago and $6.4 million more will be distributed Saturday.

Hernandez estimated the government owes officers $35 million more in overtime pay, but said the department is still tallying the exact amount.

Authorities said part of the problem is that Puerto Rico’s government has to wait for the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency to reimburse it for overtime police pay and that it is a slow process.

Hernandez said officers also are upset about other changes amid Puerto Rico’s economic crisis, including smaller pensions and an end of payments for unused sick days.

“They feel in a way cheated in the past 15 years in terms of benefits.”