The search for the killers of a Cortez police officer has left some local law enforcement agencies strapped for manpower.

About 300 officers from 45 state, city and county agencies in four southwestern states joined the search, authorities said Monday.

The Durango Police Department, La Plata County Sheriff’s Department, Colorado State Patrol, Southern Ute Police Department and Ignacio Police Department aided in the search.

At home, the remaining officers worked longer hours and handled extra duties.

Colorado State Patrol troopers have been redistributed throughout districts in the state to bring 20 additional state troopers to operate road blocks near the search site, said Major Mark Trostel. Since Friday, crews from Durango and Pagosa Springs have assisted in the manhunt.

"We’ve been running short-handed since it began," he said. "We’re not doing a lot of patrol, just responding to calls."

The Southern Ute Police Department, with a staff of five officers, has assigned two officers and one investigator to the search.

The La Plata County Sheriff’s Department survived the weekend with fewer deputies by sharing duties, said spokesman Dick Mullen.

Off-duty Durango police officers were called in through the weekend to fill in for a 12-member team sent to the search. Officers worked longer shifts and schedules were rearranged, but the town was covered as normal, said Durango Police Capt. Dale Smith.

Cortez, of course, was hit especially hard.

"It’s definitely offset our routine patrol," said Police Chief Roy Lane, who assigned half of his force to aid in the search. "The shooting has had a huge impact on us, but the other agencies have relieved some of our people."