Of those employees, a quarter worked for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, a quarter worked for California Highway Patrol and another quarter for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The rest worked for a host of other agencies, including the Department of State Hospitals.<\/p>\n
Last year\u2019s top overtime earner, CHP Sergeant Leonard Tomboc, earned $414,599 in overtime, in addition to a salary of $223,438. Tomboc is based in San Francisco County and has worked for CHP for over 30 years, according to his LinkedIn profile. Rafael Miranda, a CDCR physician assistant, was paid $392,300 in overtime, more than double his $176,358 salary. Miranda has worked at High Desert State Prison in Lassen County for over 17 years, according to his LinkedIn profile. Neither Tomboc nor Miranda responded to requests for comment.<\/p>\n
Overtime pay is not generally included when calculating state employees\u2019 retirement benefits<\/a>. For some members of the California Public Employees\u2019 Retirement System who work in safety-related fields, overtime can be counted for pension benefits if their regular workweek is longer than normal federal labor standards.<\/p>\n About 4% of CHP\u2019s roughly 12,000 employees were among the highest overtime earners in the state, receiving over $100,000 for working beyond their scheduled hours.<\/p>\n \u201cThe California Highway Patrol\u2019s overtime expenditures reflect the operational demands of a 24\/7 statewide public safety mission,\u201d Jaime Coffee, a CHP spokesperson, said in a statement.<\/p>\n In addition to CHP\u2019s statewide highway patrols, officers are also called on to respond to emergencies, natural disasters and traffic collisions at all hours, Coffee said. CHP officers are required to make court appearances when subpoenaed and to provide protective details for dignitaries and high-ranking public officials, which contribute to the agency\u2019s overtime expenses.<\/p>\n Coffee said a significant amount of the agency\u2019s overtime costs come from officers performing reimbursable services, such as additional security for events or construction sites, which is billed to the contracting entity but paid through California\u2019s payroll system. Overtime compensation is determined by the labor agreement with the CHP officers union.<\/p>\n Due to the bargaining unit\u2019s unique salary formula, CHP officers\u2019 pay has grown at a faster rate than that of other peace officers in California. Officers\u2019 salaries are directly tied to the average compensation provided to peace officers in five local jurisdictions across California, many of which are the most expensive places to live in the state, such as San Francisco and Los Angeles.<\/p>\n The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst\u2019s Office has previously recommended<\/a> improving or repealing this salary formula for CHP officers as it has led to significant increases to state costs.<\/p>\n Overtime costs for state departments have grown in recent years<\/p>\n The amount state departments spend on overtime has increased significantly for some departments. Last year, CHP\u2019s overtime costs came to $271 million. Seven years ago, the law enforcement agency spent $158 million on overtime.<\/p>\n Cal Fire has also increased how much<\/a> of its compensation costs go toward overtime in recent years, which is due, in part, to the agency\u2019s adoption of a new schedule for firefighters that is meant to improve work-life balance for these employees.<\/p>\n Alternatively, CDCR\u2019s spending on overtime has decreased by $10 million between 2019 and 2025, although the department\u2019s total payroll expenses have increased by $461 million over that period. Since 2021, CDCR has closed three prisons, and plans to shutter a Riverside County facility<\/a> later this year, to cut down on how much California spends on incarceration. CDCR did not respond to a list of questions about the department\u2019s overtime costs.<\/p>\n Unions have maintained that high overtime costs are a product of an ongoing need to recruit and retain staff.<\/p>\n \u201cTime and a half is part of the negotiated contract, but the long-term solution is adequate staffing levels that reduce reliance on overtime pay while maintaining safety,\u201d California Correctional Peace Officers Association President Neil Flood said in a statement.<\/p>\n Lance Christensen, the vice president of government affairs and education policy at the California Policy Center, disagreed. He said that unions have made efforts to maximize employees\u2019 salaries by \u201cmanipulating the overtime system.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not because a lot of these government entities don\u2019t have enough personnel,\u201d Christensen said.<\/p>\n This story was originally published March 2, 2026 at 5:00 AM.<\/p>\n Related Stories from Sacramento Bee<\/p>\n![\"California's](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1772514684_743_full.png\")
CHP officers\u2019 salaries have outpaced that of other peace officers\u2019<\/p>\n![\"Five](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1772514684_340_full.png\")
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