Boston and state police have paid out nearly $2 million in overtime pay to control thousands of protesters as they tried to shut down highways in three demonstrations since late November over the police killings of black men in Missouri and New York City.

The staggering manpower costs of fielding armies of cops had an exasperated (Boston) Mayor Martin J. Walsh and a state police spokesman yesterday lamenting the drain on resources at a time of tight budgets, worried about public safety and calling for talks instead of more marches. Meanwhile, Gov. Deval Patrick on national TV yesterday called the ongoing protests “disruptive.”

“I’m certainly concerned about overtime costs,” Walsh told the Herald. “Some of the young people there are trying to entice police ... I’d be concerned about ambulances, firefighters, public safety being able to get through the crowds.”

The mayor’s office yesterday estimated overtime at $1.5 million for three roving protests, including Saturday’s, in which people chanting “Hands up, don’t shoot!” and “I can’t breathe!” have moved around the city, snarling traffic and trying to shut down highways. State police spokesman David Procopio placed the statie OT bill for the first two at $300,000, and said he did not have an estimate for Saturday. Procopio added the state police are also concerned about the possibility of unintended harm or death as a result of traffic tie-ups. Walsh said staffing the demonstrations has taken resources from other areas, such as traffic details at a family event in Grove Hall Saturday.

“I’m not sure what the goal of the protesters is. It really hasn’t been clear,” Walsh added. “We’re working in Boston on making sure that we’re dealing with the racial inequality. We’re talking about the police and the way the police do their job. We’re talking to the ministers and the youth groups ... we’re actually having conversations about it.

“Let’s have some dialogue. I mean, it’s great to walk around and protest. I certainly would like to find out who is leading the protests and have some dialogue.” (...)