Rev. Al Sharpton speaks during services at Hope Memorial Baptist Church. | AP Photo/Mel Evans Sharpton and Mark-Viverito criticize overtime pay for officer involved in Garner's death

Two people often aligned with Mayor Bill de Blasio — the Rev. Al Sharpton and City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito — spoke out against news that the police officer involved in Eric Garner's 2014 death made $23,220 in overtime last year.

"I think it is the epitome of an insult to not only those of us that have been involved in the Garner movement from day one and continue to be, it is also tantamount to dancing on Eric Garner's grave by this officer," Sharpton said in a phone interview.


POLITICO New York first reported Monday that Daniel Pantaleo — the officer who restrained Garner in a chokehold that a medical examiner found contributed to his death — earned an increasing amount of overtime in the following years.

Sharpton said Pantaleo, who was cleared by a Staten Island grand jury, "is clearly taking advantage" of the delay while Garner's family awaits the findings of a federal probe into the case. "He's billing up time and billing up extra pay in the interim," Sharpton added.

Outgoing police commissioner BIll Bratton said in July that the department's own investigation into Pantaleo's actions is "for all practical purposes" completed, but the NYPD is awaiting the outcome of the federal investigation.

"The only thing more appalling than the grand jury failing to secure an indictment of Daniel Pantaleo are the reports that show he is still collecting substantial overtime pay two years after Eric Garner's death," Mark-Viverito said through a spokeswoman. "The vast majority of men and women who serve the NYPD treat the public with respect and are selfless civil servants, but Officer Pantaleo is not one of them. He should not be rewarded for his reprehensible actions."

Mark-Viverito wants Pantaleo fired, the spokeswoman added.

Garner died on July 17, 2014, after Pantaleo restrained him during a police stop on a Staten Island street, an event captured on bystander video. Garner had allegedly been selling loose, untaxed cigarettes, and he refused to be arrested. His death sparked national outrage and intensified the debate surrounding policing and race.

In the subsequent 12-month period, while Pantaleo was placed on modified desk duty, he took home $105,061 — a $76,488 salary, $17,109 in overtime and $11,673 in additional earnings, payroll records show.

The following year, which includes earnings from July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016, he made $119,996. That included $23,220 in overtime, $12,853 in additional pay and a base salary of $78,026 that was recorded as $83,921 in gross pay, the records show.

An NYPD spokesman would not answer questions on what Pantaleo did to earn the overtime or what the additional pay was for.

"At times officers are required to work beyond their schedule(d) tour of duty. This includes officers on modified assignment," spokesman John Grimpel wrote in an email.

De Blasio declined to discuss the story at a press conference on Monday, instead referring questions to the police department.

"I don't actually know specifically how the police department handles assignments for people on that kind of status, so you have to go to the police department for that one," he said.

Several hours later, mayoral spokesman Austin Finan said, "The mayor has spoken to the incoming police commissioner and this situation will be addressed."

Eric Garner's daughter, Erica Garner, issued a series of tweets expressing her dismay. "NO MORE BULLSHIT! Records show increased earnings for officer involved in Garner's death," she wrote. "De Blasio enough is enough!"

Sharpton also said de Blasio should push for Pantaleo's disciplinary records to be released.

The mayor has said he wants to relase them but is hampered by state law — which Gov. Andrew Cuomo called a "scapegoat."

"I think on both sides there needs to be real movement," Sharpton said Monday. "What I don't want to see is justice for New York City reduced to some political ping-pong match between the governor and the mayor."