November 6, 2026 NEW YORK, NY A scathing report released Thursday by the Department of Investigation (DOI) Office of the Inspector General exposed severe oversight failures within the NYPD’s lucrative Paid Detail program, finding that nearly half of participating officers exceeded weekly work limits and were routinely stiffed on millions in private security pay.

The investigation was launched following widespread public scrutiny after the tragic July 28, 2025 mass shooting at 345 Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, where four people were killed—including off-duty Police Officer Didarul Islam, who was working a paid detail assignment at the site.

What is the NYPD Paid Detail Program?

Established in the spring of 1998, the Paid Detail program permits off-duty NYPD members—ranging from police officers up to captains—to work armed private security for commercial banks, retail chains, office buildings, and high-profile businesses while wearing their official uniforms.

While officers receive hourly wages based on rank, the department skims a mandatory 10% administrative fee on every assignment:

During just the first eight months of fiscal year 2026, the NYPD collected $3.5 million in administrative fees from the program alone.

Millions in Unpaid Wages and Ignored Vendor Delinquencies

Despite the police department pocketing millions in administrative fees, participating officers faced rampant wage theft from corporate vendors.

• Delinquent Vendors: Program rules state vendors must pay officers within 15 days, becoming officially delinquent after 30 days. However, the DOI found that the NYPD rarely suspended non-paying vendors.

• Millions Owed: Nearly 6,000 NYPD officers on Paid Detail were left unpaid for millions of dollars in completed work by major corporate vendors, including Target.

• Lawsuits: The report cited multiple recent class-action lawsuits brought against private vendors for failing to disburse wages to working officers.

Safety Safeguards Bypassed: Half of Officers Exceeded Work Limits

Beyond financial discrepancies, the DOI audit uncovered major safety concerns regarding officer fatigue and safety guidance.

Although department guidelines set strict weekly work caps to prevent exhaustion on the job, the investigation revealed that nearly 50% of participating officers managed to bypass preventative measures and were scheduled beyond weekly work limits at least once over a three-year period.

DOI Commissioner Nadia I. Shihata stated:

“Officers participating in the Paid Detail Program deserve to have essential training, information about the detail they are assigned to, and protections to ensure they are paid for the work they do. This Report outlines the limitations uncovered by this investigation, which may decrease officer safety and increase the risk that officers are not paid accurately or in a timely manner.”

The DOI issued 11 concrete recommendations to the NYPD, demanding formal procedures to penalize delinquent vendors and an internal inquiry into how officers bypassed scheduling safeguards.

Union Pushback: "No Substitute for Adequate Salaries"

Police Benevolent Association (PBA) President Patrick Hendry fired back at the city following the report's release, emphasizing that rank-and-file officers have been working without a contract since August 2025 and resort to paid detail shifts simply to afford living in New York City.

PBA President Patrick Hendry responded:

“The Paid Detail Program is no substitute for an adequately staffed police department or adequately compensating police officers. Police officers should not have to take on extra work to make ends meet, and the NYPD should have the staffing to provide the same level of police service to every resident and business in this city, not just those who pay extra for it. Beyond reforming the Paid Detail Program, the city needs to focus on paying our members fairly in order to keep them on the job.”

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