Police overtime payments are spiralling out of control -- and can only be paid for because of a shortage of officers.

The cost of extra-hours policing has set the force back by around $500,000 in the last year.

And a Police spokeswoman revealed the boys in blue were only in the black because the force was understrength and saving money on salaries.

She denied one claim that a single officer raked in $96,000 in overtime payments last year.

But she said: "Our overtime spending is constantly under review by our manager of finance and administration.

"Increased overtime is a direct result of the manpower shortage that the Police service is currently facing.

"However, the extra overtime costs have been offset by the savings associated with that same staff shortage and the Minister of Finance through the director of budgets has been advised of this and has raised no objections.'' The Police have a total budget of $35.7 million for the current financial year. More than $27 million is wiped out in salaries and another $582,000 goes in wages.

The Government's Budget estimates have also sidelined more than $2 million for "other personnel costs''.

And Public Safety Minister Paula Cox has arranged to make an emergency adjustment to the Budget so extra cash can be sidelined into the overtime pot on April 16.

She confirmed Police spent $2.8 million on overtime last year, overstepping their initial budget of $2.3 million.

But Ms Cox, whose father Eugene is the Finance Minister, said an Island-wide recruitment drive would bring the force back to full strength -- reducing the need for bulging overtime paycheques this year.

The books will be balanced because more officers will mean less overtime, she said.

The Minister added: "The rumour that one officer ran up $96,000 in overtime last year is way off the mark.

"It's off the mark even at half that figure -- even at $30,000. I have touched base with the Commissioner and we should not be spending out what has been allotted.

"But overtime is now being better managed and we are making sure it will no longer be an excessive amount in the Police budget.

"When the Police force is at full strength again, we won't have to pay as much in overtime. But what we are trying to do is make sure that it is curbed by looking at the instant short-term.

"The most important thing is that the Police try to meet the assurances of public safety and that means allocating resources properly.

"For instance, if there is no critical need in Special Branch, officers ought to be deployed where they are more urgently needed.

Overtime `out of control' "That can have an impact on overtime. But we expect to be operating within the budget this year.'' Police chiefs are about to start a fresh recruitment drive.

Ms Cox, whose Devonshire North constituency covers the Prospect Police headquarters, added: "We are going to re-evaluate and re-energise recruiting and beef up the service as a whole.''