By Joe Dwinell
Boston Herald
BOSTON — The State Police detective captain who pocketed an eye-popping $584,072 in pay last year amassed record overtime using 27 different reasons — including bonus hours on days he called in sick, a Herald scrub of his time reveals.
Detective Capt. Thomas McCarthy racked up $349,815 in overtime pay, pushing his gross take-home in 2024 to $584,072, according to an analysis of the top-earning OT high-rollers in the state.
McCarthy, assigned to Logan Airport’s Troop F barracks, listed “short staffing,” paid details, inspections, the Sumner Tunnel closure, half marathons, the Boston Marathon, the Fourth of July extravaganza on the Esplanade, the Head of the Charles Regatta and Christmas caroling coverage as reasons for banking overtime.
That’s all according to records of McCarthy’s 2024 hours the State Police provided to the Herald following a public records request.
But, those week-by-week tallies show McCarthy also put in for OT on days he called out “sick in family” and “sick with pay.” He also worked OT on vacation days, training days, “VIP” shifts, BOS Taskforce, holidays, and personal “paid” days.
“This is a problem,” said Dennis Galvin, president of the Massachusetts Association for Professional Law Enforcement (MAPLE).
“You need to start asking questions. Call your state rep or state senator. How long do people want to be abused by this?” Galvin added, in what he called a “serious question of oversight.”
Galvin, a former State Police commander, said the MSP must do a better job of checking off on this level of overtime. But the records obtained by the Herald show McCarthy did receive approval for all his extra hours.
MSP oversight
The State Police said in a statement the new head of the agency, Col. Geoffrey Noble, is looking into the use of overtime and helping out Troop F.
The MSP added the $349,815 McCarthy earned in OT last year will not apply to his pension when he retires. But he keeps clocking OT with state Comptroller records stating that as of Feb. 8, McCarthy has been paid $6,200 in overtime and $7,572 in “other” pay for a total of $49,119 in just over a month into 2025.
McCarthy’s gross pay in 2023 was $501,765 and $431,158 in 2022, according to Comptroller records, giving him a 35.4% hike in gross pay over the past three-year span.
That’s all being taken into consideration, according to Noble.
“The Massachusetts State Police continuously reviews staffing levels to ensure we can fulfill our public safety mission while balancing our fiscal responsibility to taxpayers,” Noble said in a statement. “During my initial review of the department, I identified the need to adjust staffing levels at Troop F where the demand continues to grow. We remain committed to delivering the highest standards of policing services to the Commonwealth.”
The State Police added “a large portion” of McCarthy’s overtime was “filling vacant midnight shifts in the Troop F Duty Office.” That responsibility can only be filled by commissioned officers.
MSP added they have assigned more officers to Troop F to assist.
As for why an already highly paid detective captain was used for OT, the State Police said “hiring any detective captain on overtime” is being vetted more closely with “an internal control.”
The MSP added “overtime across the State Police was down nearly 6% in 2024,” but was up at Troop F. A Herald review of State Police OT from last year shows seven officers earned more than $200,000 in overtime, with McCarthy topping that list; another 124 troopers earned $100,000 or more; and 32 pulled down $90,000 or more, with 103 troopers with $70,000 and up.
Logan’s Troop F
The busy Logan Airport duty, the State Police added, does come with added scrutiny.
Security at Gates A and E, used or connected to international travel, increased after the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attack on Israel, MSP said. Presidential visits and other VIPs also taxed resources, MSP added, along with watching out for Seaport cruise ships and tourism.
“Facilitating the safe transportation of 43 million passengers at Boston Logan International Airport and 480,000 passengers at the Flynn Cruiseport Boston – the highest number of travelers on record at each facility” force the State Police to balance the “significant public safety needs” and fiscal responsibilities, MSP added.
Still, Galvin stressed there’s no substitute for “fundamental oversight” to both protect and be aware of taxpayers who foot the bill for added hours.
An Inspector General’s report on Massachusetts State Police in 2022 states the agency needs to “strengthen its policies and procedures regarding overtime shifts,” especially ones that overlap with regular hours. Plus, approving time off needs to come under closer scrutiny to “increase accountability and strengthen internal controls.”
Galvin added that all the questions overtime raises lead to one overriding conclusion: “The governor needs to look into this.”
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