WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The mobilization of the National Guard and reserves to fight terrorism abroad may have an unintended consequence: less law enforcement at home.

With the military making plans to call up as many as 35,500 reservists, police and sheriffs' departments across the nation are scrambling to cover staffing shortages.

The Sedgwick County Sheriff's Department in Wichita is now paying for a trade-off made years ago.

At least 35 of its 500 officers are reservists — and 28 of them are jailers. Dealing with a call-up would be especially difficult for a department already trying to fill 25 vacancies.

At the Topeka Police Department, 25 of its 293 officers could drop from the ranks as more reserve units are activated, said Lt. John Sidwell. Four have already been called up.

The department is making contingency plans to cover the nticipated manpower shortage, and may pull officers out of drug operations or from federal task forces as needed.

In neighboring Colorado, as much as 10 percent of state troopers could be called for active duty — 52 of its 528 employees serve in the reserve.

"There is not much we can do," said Col. Lonny Westphal, chief of the Colorado State Patrol. "We will have to make do. It is going to have a major impact on our staff throughout."

With 1.3 million Americans in the reserves, a major activation could cut into the ranks of scores of companies. Hardest hit, though, may be law enforcement.

"We need people who do not abuse drugs, people that have never been arrested, people that are American citizens, people that can perform in a paramilitary organization — people that understand rank and chain of command — and military people fit the bill real well," said Jim Leljedal, spokesman for the Broward County Sheriff's Department in Florida.

The Kansas Highway Patrol targets military personnel in its recruiting efforts — going to job fairs at military bases throughout Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Colorado, Oklahoma and Texas, said recruiter Al Raia.

With starting salaries for the patrol at $28,400 a year, Raia also encourages troopers to join the reserves or National Guard as a way to get additional pay and benefits the state doesn't provide — and for the patrol to get staff training it can't afford.

The downside is when those officers get called up.

In the southwestern Ohio community of Yellow Springs, Police Chief Jim Miller said that if he loses the three officers who are in the National Guard, the remaining six patrolmen might have to go without backup sometimes.

"While we're a fairly peaceful community, it's certainly comforting to have another officer working with you because you never know what's going to happen," he said.

In Fargo, N.D., about 15 of the police department's 100 officers have been called to active duty, creating a staffing shortfall, Chief Christopher Magnus said.

"We may have to cut back on time off," Magnus said. "We may have to utilize some additional overtime we hadn't planned on. We are going to have to ask the patience and support of the public. It may take a little longer to get an officer out there for a report."