Bills for the Washington, D.C., lawyer hired to take on federal investigators probing the Cincinnati Police Division are $100,000 more than city officials agreed to spend.

        And the meter is still running.

Martin

        City lawyers say Billy Martin's law firm has submitted bills for $301,760, even though City Council approved $195,000.

        Deputy City Solicitor Bob Johnstone says council will be asked to approve paying the overage and “any further billings” that come in.

        A spokesman for Mr. Martin said Friday it was unlikely the lawyer would comment on the billings.

        Council members told the Enquirer that they didn't know about the bills. Before writing more checks to Mr. Martin, city lawyers have some explaining to do, council members said.

        “We've got to stop this,” Councilman Paul Booth said Friday.

        “That's a real problem. I'm shocked,” added Councilwoman Minette Cooper, who chairs council's finance committee.

        Ms. Cooper said she is especially concerned because the city faces a $17 million deficit. Administrators are considering cuts to balance the budget.

        The city has paid Mr. Martin's firm, Dyer, Ellis & Joseph, $162,030. But Mr. Johnstone says the city has been billed another $139,730.

        He expects more bills to roll in.

        “Until the process is done, I would expect Martin and crew will continue to participate,” Mr. Johnstone said.

        City Manager John Shirey also said he was unaware the bills had exceeded what was authorized. But he said the expense is far less than what it might have been if Mr. Martin had not intervened in the federal investigation of the police department.

        Other cities that faced Justice Department probes have had to pay out millions in federally mandated changes, he said.

        “If he has helped us to avoid the millions of dollars of bills that other cities have faced, then he has earned it,” Mr. Shirey said.

        Last month, Mr. Martin, a former federal prosecutor, coordinated a news conference in which Assistant U.S. Attorney General Ralph Boyd Jr. praised the city's police division. While the police need to improve policies on use of force, training, supervision and citizen complaints, he said, city officials were cooperating.

        Mayor Charlie Luken invited a federal investigation of the police department after the April 7 police shooting death of Timothy Thomas.

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