Police Overtime Expected to Exceed $600K During Presidential Debate

Police overtime totals for Tuesday's presidential debate between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney at Hofstra University are being projected to exceed the $600,000 mark, according to reports.

Nassau County Police Insp. Kenneth Lack told Newsday [paid link] earlier this week that the county spent approximately $612,000 during the 2008 debate -- most of which went to overtime -- and that he expects Tuesday's debate to exceed the previous total.

"Nassau taxpayers will be on the hook for what's estimated to exceed $600,000 in county police overtime because no one reimburses local municipalities for security costs.

Detectives, patrolmen, emergency-services and special operations officers, and hazardous-materials experts will work in and around the debate site, Hofstra's David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex, Lack said."

Lack cited two additional sources of concern for police, Newsday reported: the recent "occupy" movement and the tea party, both of whom sit on opposite sides of the political spectrum.

Nassau Police have already issued numerous traffic and bus service advisories for the Hofstra area starting as early as 6 a.m. Tuesday.