By Kelly Heyboer and Ted Sherman | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Most veteran police officers at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey earn about $90,000 a year in base pay. But, some officers pocket double -- or even triple -- that amount each year thanks to an abundance of overtime.

Last year, the Port Authority employees racked up 2.2 million hours worth of overtime doing everything from PATH train maintenance to clearing snow from airport runways and patrolling the World Trade Center.

The overtime bill totaled $262 million, about $2.8 million over budget, according to a Port Authority report. Thanks to overtime pay, some rank-and-file Port Authority police officers took home more than $300,000 in total pay for the year -- more than the agency's executive director.

The overtime helped "ensure that our customers and staff traveled and operated in safe and secure facilities, and that the agency met federal mandates such as rail safety improvements, and addressed our dynamic security, operational and maintenance needs," a report detailing the costs said.

Here are the 26 Port Authority employees who earned the most in overtime in 2016, according to the agency's payroll records:

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(Star-Ledger file photos)

26) George Fortaleza, a detective in the Port Authority's criminal investigations bureau, earned $125,452 in overtime in addition to $105,663 in base pay last year, according to the agency's payroll records. Once longevity pay and other payments were included, the 17-year veteran's total pay for the year was $267,710.

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25) Michael Torrillo, a general maintenance supervisor in the Port Authority's rail transit division hired in 2014, earned $125,656 in overtime in addition to $104,038 in base pay last year, according to the agency's payroll records. Once longevity pay and other payments were included, his total pay for the year was $232,975.

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24) Juan Diaz, a Port Authority police sergeant, earned $126,026 in overtime in addition to $103,087 in base pay last year, according to the agency's payroll records. Once other payments were included, his total pay for the year was $256,432.

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23) Russell Polanco, a Port Authority police officer on the job for eight years, earned $128,066 in overtime in addition to $90,000 in base pay last year, according to the agency's payroll records. Once longevity pay and other payments were included, his total pay for the year was $244,281.

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22) Leroy Williams, a 23-year veteran Port Authority police officer, earned $128,119 in overtime in addition to $90,000 in base pay last year, according to the agency's payroll records. Once longevity pay and other payments were included, his total pay for the year was $243,580.

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21) Robert Jersey, a Port Authority police officer hired in 2002, earned $128,162 in overtime in addition to $90,000 in base pay last year, according to the agency's payroll records. Once longevity pay and other payments were included, his total pay for the year was $239,064.

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20) Mark Gaunt, a detective in the Port Authority's criminal investigations bureau with 24 years on the job, earned $128,297 in overtime in addition to $105,663 in base pay last year, according to the agency's payroll records. Once longevity pay and other payments were included, his total pay for the year was $282,058.

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19) Marianne Flores, a 15-year veteran Port Authority police officer, earned $128,492 in overtime in addition to $90,000 in base pay last year, according to the agency's payroll records. Once longevity pay and other payments were included, her total pay for the year was $245,373.

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18) Jose Sanchez, a Port Authority police officer with 18 years experience, earned $128,787 in overtime in addition to $90,000 in base pay last year, according to the agency's payroll records. Once longevity pay and other payments were included, his total pay for the year was $237,745.

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17) Donato Di Primo, a 24-year veteran detective in the Port Authority's criminal investigations bureau, earned $129,111 in overtime in addition to $105,663 in base pay last year, according to the agency's payroll records. Once longevity pay and other payments were included, his total pay for the year was $278,566.

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16) Terence Moti, a Port Authority police officer hired in 2001, earned $129,824 in overtime in addition to $90,000 in base pay last year, according to the agency's payroll records. Once longevity pay and other payments were included, his total pay for the year was $243,133.

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15) Joseph Messina, a Port Authority police officer hired in 2002, earned in $132,135 in overtime in addition to $90,000 in base pay last year, according to the agency's payroll records. Once longevity pay and other payments were included, his total pay for the year was $242,493.

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14) Angel Correa, a 14-year Port Authority police officer, earned $132,322 in overtime in addition to $90,000 in base pay last year, according to the agency's payroll records. Once longevity pay and other payments were included, his total pay for the year was $244,108.

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13) Carlos Naut, a Port Authority police officer with 22 years experience, earned $132,396 in overtime in addition to $90,000 in base pay last year, according to the agency's payroll records. Once longevity pay and other payments were included, his total pay for the year was $246,936.

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12) Steven Moreno, a Port Authority police officer hired in 2008, earned $133,574 in overtime in addition to $90,000 in base pay last year, according to the agency's payroll records. Once longevity pay and other payments were included, his total pay for the year was $241,162.

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11) Steven Krapf, a Port Authority police sergeant hired in 2002, earned $136,330 in overtime in addition to $99,055 in base pay last year, according to the agency's payroll records. Once longevity pay and other payments were included, his total pay for the year was $263,001.

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10) Derrick Sims, a Port Authority police sergeant hired in 1994, earned $137,758 in overtime in addition to $107,911 in base pay last year, according to the agency's payroll records. Once longevity pay and other payments were included, his total pay for the year was $287,074.

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9) Rafael Castillo, a Port Authority police officer with 15 years on the job, earned $139,025 in overtime in addition to $90,000 in base pay last year, according to the agency's payroll records. Once longevity pay and other payments were included, his total pay for the year was $250,809.

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8) Wilfred Quashie, a 14-year veteran Port Authority police officer, earned $142,138 in overtime in addition to $90,000 in base pay last year, according to the agency's payroll records. Once longevity pay and other payments were included, his total pay for the year was $257,531.

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7) John Passarotti, a Port Authority police sergeant hired in 2001, earned $143,340 in overtime in addition to $107,911 in base pay last year, according to the agency's payroll records. Once longevity pay and other payments were included, his total pay for the year was $275,551.

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6) Aaron Woody, a Port Authority police sergeant, earned $152,420 in overtime in addition to $100,544 in base pay last year, according to the agency's payroll records. Once longevity pay and other payments were included, his total pay for the year was $278,564.

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5) Kevin Cottrell, a 25-year veteran Port Authority police sergeant, earned $157,604 in overtime in addition to $107,911 in base pay last year, according to the agency's payroll records. Once longevity pay and other payments were included, his total pay for the year was $319,922.

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4) Regina Womack, a Port Authority police sergeant, earned $160,035 in overtime in addition to $99,311 in base pay last year, according to the agency's payroll records. Once longevity pay and other payments were included, her total pay for the year was $285,758.

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3) Joseph Arias, a Port Authority police officer hired in 2002, earned $164,690 in overtime in addition to $90,000 in base pay last year, according to the agency's payroll records. Once longevity pay and other payments were included, his total pay for the year was $276,262.

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2) Elvin Erickson, a 16-year veteran Port Authority police officer, earned $170,387 in overtime in addition to $90,000 in base pay last year, according to the agency's payroll records. Once longevity pay and other payments were included, his total pay for the year was $311,213.

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1) Andrew Kurpat, a 25-year veteran Port Authority police officer, earned $200,233 in overtime in addition to $90,000 in base pay last year, according to the agency's payroll records. Once longevity pay and other payments were included, his total pay for the year was $316,957.

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Overtime 'flows like water'

Critics have long argued that the overtime at the Port Authority, which is jointly operated by the state governments of New York and New Jersey, is excessive and the costs are passed on to residents through bridge and tunnel toll increases and other fees. In 2011, New York's comptroller said Port Authority overtime "flows like water" and called on the agency to slash overtime costs by 20 percent.

In response, the Port Authority has been more transparent about overtime and its plan to rein in costs. But Port Authority officials say a shortage of police officers and maintenance employees means they must continue to use overtime shifts on a daily basis to find workers for emergency maintenance and heightened security needs area airports, tunnels, bridges, the PATH train system and the World Trade Center..

It's not expected to get any better this year. The 2017 plan calls for a modest 1 percent reduction in overtime hours, according to the Port Authority report.

Port Authority officials did not respond to requests to comment.

A spokesman for the Port Authority Police Benevolent Association, which represents rank-and-file police officers, said the agency has not been hiring or training enough officers to cover the overtime hours at area airports, bridges and tunnels.

"Overtime always equals one thing: You don't have enough manpower to police the way you want to police," said Bobby Egbert, a PAPBA spokesman. "The Port Authority has always told us it is their position that it is cheaper to pay overtime than to hire new employees."

In some cases, Port Authority police officers are assigned "forced overtime" when there are not enough volunteers to cover the needed shifts, Egbert said.

Employees are paid time-and-a-half for overtime shifts, though they can get double their hourly pay if they work on holidays, Egbert said.

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(Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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Kelly Heyboer may be reached at kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KellyHeyboer. Find her at KellyHeyboerReporter on Facebook. Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TedShermanSL. Facebook: @TedSherman.reporter. Find NJ.com on Facebook.