FOR THOSE AWAITING TRIAL, TIME IS MONEY

Here's a nice, round number to think about as the city totters toward
bankruptcy - $336,027 - and counting.

That's how much Buffalo taxpayers have paid police Detectives Darnyl
Parker, Robert Hill, David Rodriguez and John Ferby since their March 2000
arrests on charges of stealing cash from an FBI agent posing as a drug
dealer. They haven't done any work for the city since then.

Delays in the case are costing the city a small fortune.

Some police officials wonder if the defense is stalling, dragging out every
motion so the officers can receive their pay and benefits for as long as
possible.

Now the corruption trial - which was supposed to begin last month - has to
be delayed again because the chief federal prosecutor handling the case was
called up to active duty with the National Guard.

U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara hopes to begin the trial in January.
Until then, under state civil service rules, the four will receive their
paychecks of $1,947.50 every two weeks, Police Commissioner Rocco J. Diina
said. They also will continue to receive the payments through the trial, if
it ever begins.