OUTRAGE: Newark Residents Hit With $187,000 Police OT Bill For Whitney Houston Funeral

Locals Say Considering How They Were Treated, The Cost Is Hardly Justified

April 6, 2012 7:10 PM

Whitney Houston’s casket is loaded in to a hearse outside New Hope Baptist Church after her funeral on Feb. 18, 2012 in Newark, N.J. Whitney Houston was found dead in her hotel room at The Beverly Hilton hotel on Feb. 11, 2012. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Getty Images)

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NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) — Whitney Houston’s funeral is costing the city of Newark tens of thousands of dollars in police overtime.

And some taxpayers say as much as they loved the pop star they’re not happy about footing the high security costs, reports CBS 2’s Christine Sloan.

Houston’s family brought her back to Newark, where thousands of people lined the streets to get a glimpse of the hearse carrying her body. Fans even tried to get close to the church where her private funeral was held.

It was a farewell to a beloved star that touched the hearts of many, but it also cost the city of Newark more than $187,000 in police overtime, representing 5 percent of the $4 million budget for the year.

“I think it’s absolutely ridiculous when you have people who are unemployed and homeless, people walking up and down the streets,” Newark resident Quincy Ruffin said.

Ruffin said Houston’s family should have paid for the officers.

“If they wanted it to go that far, do that much, they should have been the ones providing for it,” Ruffin said.

Others said what makes them more angry is the public wasn’t allowed anywhere near the funeral that attracted big stars.

“I think it was a waste of time and then now we find out what happened and how she actually died, it makes you think twice saying was it worth it or not,” resident Minerva DelValle said.

Nearly 200 police officers were stationed at the New Baptist Church, the funeral home and a family gathering at the Newark Club afterwards. One city official said that the overtime cost was necessary because of public safety.

“I was able to be witness to the thousands upon thousands of people who were desperate to attend service but held back by barriers and officers of the law,” said Democratic Councilwoman Mildred Crump. “If they had not been there someone may have been trampled, seriously hurt.”

In Westfield, where Houston was laid to rest, $9,000 in police overtime was spent, a necessary cost to make sure no one got hurt, officials said.

The Newark Police Department released the overtime figures to CBS 2. Mayor Cory Booker and the police director were unavailable for comment on Friday.

Please offer your thoughts in the comments section below …

Super16

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Grapost

There are security costs associated with every entertainment spectacle. Celebrity Funeral included.

Seeing how cash strapped the city is, it would have been a nice gesture for the family to pay the overtime bill with some of the millions they inherited or will soon have from Whitney’s recording royalties.

But Fat Chance, greed alawys wins out

Patricia Keys

The city made money. That’s why cities are always trying to have events that draw crowds. People spent money in hotels, restaurants, shops, taxis, etc. resulting in city tax funds and extra employment. If the city did not know how to capitalize on this event blame your elected officials. In reality, the city of Newark should have paid the Houston family.

Butch

Tax payers do stupid stuff everyday and cost us money, by killing up one another. This woman gave enough, I’m surprised this is even an issue. But white folks always complain about anything done for other races. So go figure LOL! R.I.P. Whitney Houston…

Tommy

I dont think it is white folks complaining, it is Newark residents (few of whom are white folks) who are complaining.

MC Grunt

Didn’t they say she was buried with $250.000 worth of jewelry on? A $10.00 shovel can solve all this.

iratenate

but, unless you pick up your labor in front of the Home Depot, union wages could really set you back.

josetoyou

Now, I guesss the “fans” don’t think she was worth it…I never did!
Very few celebrities are wotth the attention that they get or the moiney they make.
billcrawford

“OUTRAGE: Newark Residents Hit With $187,000 Police OT Bill For Whitney Houston Funeral.”

Houston didn’t give a damn about you people when she was alive as long as you came to her concerts and bought her music and it is obvious she and her family do not give a tinkers damn about any of your upon her death or pre arrangements and insurance would have been taken out previously like responsible people do to take care of cover this. Very typical of those whom only think of themselves.

polly joe

Send the bill to her estate
cliff

Society idolizes these drug addicts. So,pay up and bury your idol.. Who’s next?

rebob

Amen brother.

CM

That’s the Police fault. Who the hell need 200 police…..They saw a time to get everyone paid and they did…DUMB DUMB DUMB

TP

Typical Union soiking. They rush at the chance while they sit on their asses in cars. Shame on them, police unions are as corrupt as any get.

Dave

Just dig up her rotting corpse and pawn all the jewelry she was buried with. I’m sure that would cover the bill.

Gern

DAVE FOR PRESIDENT OF THE U.S.A.!!!!!
leslie

Ha, ha I was just thinking the same thing.
bill.1942

It was all fake
Devon

Dave, how dare you!!! That is a cruel statement to make! Everyone has their struggles! I’m sure you have family members who have struggled or are still struggling with drugs. We don’t know what he family is going to do regarding the overtime cost. However, disrespecting the dead is not acceptable and won’t make the situation better!

Shawn

Jesus said, “Let the dead bury the dead”
BOSFOB

boo hoo, get real her family should pay these costs
jason

devon it is always funny how minority’s will stick up for each other even when you know she was a piece of trash. do you talk about this during your meetings. lol
Sally

…but the city I live will not be paying for the funeral of those I know who lost their struggle.

Don

Better yet, they could search her home for her hidden cocaine stash and sell that for $187,000.

dot

Kiss her dead ass my she rip.

David from San Diego

Awesome idea!

Tapper

The closest City of Newark budget item that can be used for this would be this winter’s underused “Snow Removal Budget”.

Sig

Snow disposal would be more accurate.
Junior

I am sure that was already spent.

http://homeeducators.wordpress.com iambicpentamaster

Some invoice, just to inter a drug addict…

Tim Martin

If her family had any decency they would pay these costs. Don’t hold your breath on that. This is a perfect example of just how far our country has fallen. Thousands line up to see a drug user laid to rest. How many of these same people came out to attend services for any Newark soldiers killed in the wars? How sad. As for the councilwoman who said people would be trampled if 200 police weren’t there . . . well . . . that says a lot about her constituents doesn’t it.

V

Well stated. Even the frivolous costs are passed down to the taxpayers. Yes, I said frivolous. This was for the family primarily.

Deb

The “cops” are not responsible for being told to work that event, and it WAS more of an event than a funeral. I agree with Tim. Our society reveres drug abusers and ignores heros.

http://escapeandrun.wordpress.com escapeandrun

My question is… how much do these cops get paid? 200 officers making 187000 dollars for how much work? If all of them wokred 20 hours straight thats 50 dollars an hour each. Maybe Newark pays their cops entirely too much.

http://ny9solyndra.wordpress.com NY9Solyndra

Overtime is usually 150% or 200% of regular pay, depending on a variety of factors.

The median officer pay in Newark is $28/hr. http://swz.salary.com/SalaryWizard/police-officer-Salary-Details-Newark-NJ.aspx

Also consider that net pay is only a portion of the cots per hour. You have to add on benefits, payroll taxes, etc.. Add costs for vehicles, fuel, etc..
http://ny9solyndra.wordpress.com NY9Solyndra

Overtime is usually 150% or 200% of regular pay, depending on a variety of factors.

The median officer pay in Newark is $28/hr. http://swz.salary.com/SalaryWizard/police-officer-Salary-Details-Newark-NJ.aspx

Also consider that net pay is only a portion of the cost per hour. You have to add on benefits, payroll taxes, etc.. Add costs for vehicles, fuel, etc..

nopcspokenhere

Get it from obama’s ‘stash’!!!!

DEE

I wondered how long it would be before someone pulled Obama ‘s name out their ass . . .

another mike

Well, I guess it was Bush’s fault…huh?

rozrosebud

Obama had nothing to do with this, assholes.

Slconfidential

I heard O dumbo say if he had another daughter, she would be like Witty, so he better start paying this bill.

rozrosebud

You are
Stupid

dana

the only asshole is obama

jerzfresh

this may have little to do with him, but 99% of Newarkers voted for Obama. they get what they deserve.

rozrosebud

How do you know

dot

Get it from your moma;s stash’

renrah

The “public” – NO
The TAXPAYERS – YES

That’s who gets stuck with EVERY bill and pays up on all wasted spending in this
effed up country anymore. I would bet more than 75% of those “mourners” won’t pay a dime because they all on welfare and neverpaid taxes in their lives.

JoeRaisin

Wrong idiomatic expression. I’m sure you meant to say “Foot” the bill. Foot the bill means to pay for something. Fit the bill means something meets certain requirements. Also, while I like the imagine brought about by bureaucratic hypocrisy “roaring” its ugly head, The actual word used in this expression is “rearing”.

Kingfish

Looks like the grammar cops got up early this morning. I bet you are one of the overpaid federal employees, do you feel better, will you be able to make it through the day, we thank you for your due diligence and astute editing, in other words, who gives a crap.

JoeRaisin

LOL – Looks like the “grammar cops” cops made it here too – though I’m not sure where 10 am is considered “early”. By the way, wrong and wrong. I am not a Federal employee and there was nothing wrong with the grammar. I suppose, to be accurate, you could have called me an idiomatic expression cop. I hope your inaccurate accusation has made you feel better and that you too were able to make it through the day.

Georgiasaraann

Your first sentance “Wrong idiomatic expression.” is grammatically incorrect. You have two adjectives and a noun, but no verb. “Foot” the bill should not have been capitalized. You meant to say image, not imagine in the fifth sentance. You should not have capitalized ‘the’ after the comma. See how annoying this is? I am sure someone else will scrutinize my post and point out my errors. Mark had a good point. Focus on what he posted, rather than minor errors. And I did like hypocrisy roaring its ugly head. You are correct, it is a fun image..

Dr. Reality

Georgiasaraann, aren’t you just jumping on the bandwagon to get your own grammar cop kicks in the guise of lecturing someone else for doing it? By the way, I’m not going to bother to correct the errors in your post!

pitter43

They’ve got nothing else to say so they act like all the comments are supposed to be about someones grammar. It’s typical liberal , attempt, to debase someone.

oberon123456

And anybody ignorant enough to not comprehend basic English grammar undoubtedly has equally cloudy thought processes. In other words, that person is not worth listening to.

Izbot

This thread is unraveling at an unrivaled rate.Please, don’t sweat the small potatoes and don’t make mountains out of molars by the skin on your teeth.
Why can’t we all just get a lawn?

rozrosebud

I Actually had a gut renching laugh, ty

Izbot

Having more fun than a barrel of monkey wrenches thrown into your gut was not my intent.
But what’s sauce for the goose is worth a gander.
And looking before you leap from the frying pan into the fire is always better than having the pot call the kettle anything but late for dinner.

ME that’s Who

you know what though they should go after the person who sold her the coke don’t tell me they don’t know who it was. It was her body guards of course.
Jesse

$187,000? I’ll bet Whitney Houston snorted that much coke in an average year.

Real Rick

Nah, that’s 3 wild parties, so, I’m guessing a long weekend.

Willy Nailher

Oh well, dead and gone. Newark, pay up.

george

If I owed that much money for anything, I’d lower the flags to half-staff too/

ME that’s Who

we must consider that the funeral was not a PUBLIC EVENT it was private therefor the Houston Estate should be charged for their use of Public utilities and services to keep their private event private.

Send them the Bill.
ME that’s Who

by all means the Houston Estate should be sent the bill for the extra security they incurred upon the city of Newark. Not all the people lining the streets were from NJ.

Sent the the Bill ASAP! don’t let anyone get away with needing the city to do special duty and not pay for it. It was not just a public safety issue it was also a privacy issue. So let them pay for 60% if not all of it.
Col. Knife

With that much cash you have saved her from those drugs.
ME

Now you know people if Chris Christie did NOT lower the flags & she died of natural causes, then the justus brothers would have screamed bloody murder about rascism…
Deskboy

Send her mother the bill.

Les in Phoenix

exactly!!!!!
no other way to see this…why should the taxpayers be stuck with this bill?
as the article noted, when the ‘public’ wasn’t even allowed, to attend the funeral!
I mean, really….

ME that’s Who

that is what I meant too. If it is a private event and the public is not invited then the use of public services are not free.

The Police are afraid to send the bill to the Houston Estate which will still make millions off her songs and this new album coming out.

Why?

the racist community of Marion White will scream racism

george

Her mother is busy trying to keep the two Whitney Houston offspring from tying the knot (figuratively speaking, of course).

2012

judging from the demographics, i’d say there probably aren’t many taxpayers in Newark anyway but plenty of people getting “assistance”.
oink if you love whitney

Some are more equal than others.
Fred P.

…. and what about the Soldiers who died for their country? Not one peep and no outrage over the miniscule bit of recognition…..

This country has it ALL WRONG when they “admire” a crackhead…..

carol

Whitney died so that you may live and rejoice. You should be proud of newarks angel.

Montavious Jackson

She was a cokehead. Not a savior.

Obsqueeshakanisha

Don’ playa hate…

Kevin Stowell

Huh?
Lefty

You mean Jesus, right? Not Whitney. You just mistyped it, right? Wow! What did Whitney ever do that helps me live and rejoice? I really hope this was posted as a joke.

James Woods

Yeah it’s something to consider since the public wasn’t able to participate in what the public was paying for however im sure the good people of newark can find alot more was in pork barrel projects than this funeral.
jens

and if the cops were not there….and the typical masses got out of hand…..people would be screaming that there wasn’t enough police…and blame the city, etc….
makemydaypunk

Send the “bill” to Chris Christie’s personal account – or alternatively send it to the “heirs” of her estate!!! The NJ Tax Payer should NOT be responsible for her private funeral!! Case closed!!