NOODLE’s public-safety overtime: Following the additional cost

At a glance

City records reported $130,363.66 in police and fire overtime wages for NOODLE, covering 2,243.5 hours.

Police overtime accounted for $74,689.13 and 1,100 hours; fire overtime accounted for $55,674.53 and 1,143.5 hours.

The July 1 report had not established whether those costs were reimbursed, included in the $3.03 million agreement or absorbed by the City. Other municipal service costs also remained unresolved.

In brief

This July 1, 2026 update reports City figures for police and fire overtime associated with NOODLE. Together, the reported wages totaled $130,363.66 for 2,243.5 overtime hours. The article also notes that police operations and resource-allocation records were withheld, leaving the full deployment picture unavailable in that review.

The accounting questions concern who ultimately paid those costs: whether they were reimbursed, included within the event agreement or absorbed by the City. The report also asks about EMS, traffic, cleanup and other City services. It supports paying the employees who worked the event while seeking a fuller accounting of the event’s public cost.

Full report

The NOODLE Convention didn’t just cost City of Newport News, VA - Government $3.03 million.

FOIA records now show the event also required major public-safety overtime.

For Newport News Police Department, the City reported:

80 officers on Friday, May 22
40 officers during the day on Saturday, May 23
80 officers during the evening on Saturday, May 23
200 total officers
1,100 overtime hours
$74,689.13 in overtime wages

The police department also withheld operations/resource allocation records under the FOIA tactical-information exemption, so the public still does not have the full deployment picture.

For the Newport News Fire Department, records show:

1,143.5 overtime hours
$55,674.53 in overtime wages

That is 2,243.5 overtime hours and $130,363.66 in police/fire overtime wages alone.

And that does not answer the bigger question yet:

Were these costs reimbursed by the event? Were they built into the $3.03 million agreement? Were they absorbed by taxpayers? Were EMS, traffic, cleanup, permitting, Public Works, and other city costs also added on top?

Let’s be clear: this is not about attacking police officers or firefighters. They worked the event, and overtime should be paid. The question is whether Newport News properly accounted for the true public cost of NOODLE before and after the money moved.

And this is before we even get to the 30-day post-event accounting report required under the agreement.

Audit Newport News is still following the money.

Images and records

NNPD records reporting 1,100 overtime hours and $74,689.13 in wages for NOODLE. Image from the original publication; select to view at full size.

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Fire Department table reporting 1,143.5 overtime hours and $55,674.53 in total wages. Image from the original publication; select to view at full size.

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At a glance

In brief

Full report

Images and records

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