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State police assisting Butler city with patrols

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. 

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 were requested, we'll assist,” State Police Lt. Daniel Hines said today. “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 patrolling in Butler. 

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

Police Lt. Chad Rensel, who is president of Fraternal Order of Police 32, the union that represents city officers, said the increased crime in the city underscores the need for more officers. 

“It has been a violent beginning to the year thus far,” Rensel said in a prepared statement. He noted that the department already this year has been directly or indirectly involved in three homicides and an officer was recently shot at. 

“The City of Butler Police Department,” he said, "is understaffed.” 

A full report will appear in Tuesday’s Butler Eagle.

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