Boston detective rakes in $400K, other city employees top $300K

BOSTON — Payroll records show the highest-paid Boston city employee last year was a detective who made more than $400,000, and as in previous years, the top earnings overall are from the Boston Police Department.

Detective Waiman Lee was the city’s top earner with $403,000, mostly from retroactive and detail pay, according to city payroll records.

While Waiman was the only employee to earn more than $400,000 last year, 21 others, all from within the Boston Police Department, made $300,000 or more.

The city of Boston paid employees $1.58 billion, which is an increase of $73 million over 2015, or five percent. The total also includes about $21 million in retroactive pay for detectives and command staff.

The highest earner in a non-public safety department was Boston Superintendent of Schools Tommy Chang, who made $272,000.

The highest non-public safety and non-education earner was Norman Parks, who warned $194,000 in the Public Works Department.

The total overtime pay declined for the first time in recent history, dropping below $100 million, according to records. That’s a decrease of two percent from 2015.

Cox Media Group