Donald Trump visit cost Suffolk Police Dept. $34,000 in overtime

President Donald Trump’s recent visit to Suffolk County Community College’s Brentwood campus, where he vowed to eradicate the MS-13 gang, cost the Suffolk Police Department about $33,672 in overtime.

Police Commissioner Timothy Sini said county police officers who were behind Trump on stage were involved in combating MS-13. They were released from other duties, but were not paid overtime. In addition to police, about a dozen auxiliary police and school crossing guards were used, Sini said.

He said efforts were made to keep overtime costs to a minimum, and that Suffolk considered the possibility of seeking federal reimbursement, but no aid was available.

The only county agency to recoup any costs from Trump’s visit on July 28 was the community college. The college billed and has received $6,674 in payment for personnel who were needed to help ready the Van Nostrand Theater and the campus for the Trump event.

College trustees earlier this year set a policy to charge outside groups for use of college facilities and for associated personnel costs. Those rules exempt elected officials from having to pay for using university space, freeing the Trump administration from an $850 daily charge for use of the theater.

A spokeswoman for Sheriff Vincent DeMarco, who according to sources is under consideration for a U. S. Marshal’s Service job with Trump, said their office incurred no overtime.