As drug overdose calls and other criminal cases rise amid a shortage of police officers, Butler’s mayor has called in reinforcements — temporarily.

“I’ve asked the state police to assist in protecting the safety of my city,” Mayor Tom Donaldson said Saturday.

Specifically, Donaldson requested troopers to help city officers patrol the streets for the next three months.

State police immediately answered the call and have been providing troopers since the mayor’s request late last week.

“Whenever we’re requested, we’ll assist,” state police Lt. Daniel Hines said Monday. “They asked for assistance and we’re here to help. We’re not in the business of saying, ‘No.’”

State police, per Donaldson’s request, are helping the city department with added patrols between 2 p.m. and 2 a.m. Hines would not say how many troopers are taking part in the enhanced patrols.

The additional manpower is for the “purpose of extra help in strictly enforcing all traffic laws within the city limits,” according to a handwritten letter that Donaldson dropped off Thursday at the state police barracks in Butler Township.

A day earlier, Donaldson made a less formal request in a telephone call to state police Capt. Steve Ignatz, commanding officer of Troop D Butler.

“What it boils down to,” Donaldson said Saturday, referring to his phone call to Ignatz, “it’s about safety. “We don’t have the manpower.”

The understaffing, he noted, is due to vacancies in six positions. Additionally, two other officers are injured and off the streets for now.

Donaldson repeatedly cited his concern for the well-being and welfare of both the community and city police officers in discussing why he sought outside help.

“The only reason this was done,” he said, “was for the safety of my officers and my residents.”

He said the lack of available manpower coupled with more traffic and crime calls have taxed officers, forcing them to work more overtime.