A measure from two Boston city councilors calling for a public discussion on how to increase police staffing levels ticked off BPD brass, and did not sit well with the mayor, who accused the councilors she often tussles with of playing politics.

The hearing order, filed by Councilors Ed Flynn and Erin Murphy for the Wednesday meeting, was met with exasperation from Mayor Michelle Wu and Boston Police Department leadership, who pointed to the city’s low crime rate and the success it’s had with bringing staffing levels up in the face of national recruitment challenges that have persisted since the 2020 murder of George Floyd.

The councilors’ push was praised by the head of the city’s largest police union, however, who said that it was moving the conversation forward, and forcing the city to confront a staffing crisis that has the potential to create a “recipe for disaster,” in terms of public safety on city streets.

“We’re in a full-blown crisis,” Larry Calderone, president of the Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association, the city’s largest police union, said. “That’s why you hear the Boston Police commissioner and the mayor actually coming out and saying they’re doing all they can do, because we now have some city councilors that are being extremely vocal.

“This crisis didn’t just happen overnight. This has been going on for the last several years, and it’s gone unanswered.”

A police department spokesperson put current uniformed staffing levels at 2,188, a number that the union pushed back on, saying that the number of uniformed officers who answer 911 and service calls is much lower.

Either way, the department is down by several hundred officers, given the requirements of Boston Municipal Code, which mandates that the number of police officers on the force shall, at no time, be less than 2,500, Flynn’s office said.

Flynn and Murphy contend in their hearing order that “the longstanding issues of understaffing, overstretched resources, forced overtime, and looming retirements at the Boston Police Department is a public safety and public health emergency, which also disregards officers’ personal physical and emotional well-being.”

“Most police officers don’t want to leave, but they’re exhausted, and then you put on top of that, the fact that they’re vilified by their own elected bodies that constantly waves the flag and tries to grandstand about defunding them and taking away their ability to earn,” Calderone added of the criticism of how much officers are making in overtime. “No one works for free. Why would a police officer be expected to be treated any differently?”

Along with there being “no respect” for police, Calderone sees the city’s “antiquated” residency requirement, which the union wants to see repealed, as the other main factor driving candidates away.

Flynn and Murphy, in their hearing order, say a “consistent influx of recruits” are needed to replace officers retiring, resigning or leaving for another job, while citing different strategies the city can take.

While embraced by the union, the councilors’ hearing order offended the Boston Police Department, and led to a rare public rebuke of specific city councilors from the mayor.

Mayor Wu was pointed in her remarks.

“We appreciate this support for our officers and the hard work they do everyday, and our administration continues to bring staffing levels up through expanding recruit classes and implementing the education and career retention measures secured through collective bargaining so officers can support their families and make this job sustainable,” the mayor said in a statement.

“But with due respect to these councilors, we need their support for fully staffing city jobs all the time, not just when it’s politically convenient. Advocating for funding to boost police staffing is completely inconsistent with their vote against a residential tax relief proposal that would maintain the city budget while protecting residents and small businesses.

The mayor added, “On that important measure, these same councilors sided with special interest groups calling for drastic budget cuts and cuts to public education that would devastate staffing levels. Our budget responsibly dedicates the growth in City revenues to addressing rising costs for our workforce and maintaining the staffing needed to ensure Boston remains the safest major city in the country.”

A BPD spokesperson cited the city’s unusually low murder rate — eight homicides this year as of July 28, compared to 25 in 2023 and a 5-year average of 31 — and success the department’s had with hiring, by putting out its largest and most diverse classes since 2022, at a time when “nationally, recruiting and retaining dedicated and qualified police officers has never been more difficult.”

“Under Mayor Wu and Police Commissioner Cox the BPD has focused on addressing the large numbers of vacancies within BPD,” BPD spokesperson Mariellen Burns said in a statement. “The efforts are intentional and strategic to attract diverse candidates, who reflect the neighborhoods we serve, and who are interested in being part of our mission of Community Policing. These efforts are also squarely focused on public safety and officer wellness.”

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Flynn and Murphy, who are often at odds with the mayor on policy issues, both hit back at the dig.

Murphy said that while this particular hearing order addresses the “drastic need” to fill positions at the police department, she’s been “one of the strongest, if not the strongest advocates on the City Council” for making sure all city departments are staffed, citing her prior votes to preserve core city services in the budget.

“I think at a critical time where we are in the city, we should be working together to find solutions, not attacking councilors who are trying to help find solutions to keep moving the city forward,” Murphy said. “It’s counterproductive to call out councilors for doing their job.”

Flynn said that he has been “one of the few elected officials in Boston who have consistently and publicly supported Boston Police and first responders for years, advocated for hiring hundreds of additional officers every year to deal with overstretched resources and forced overtime, voted each year to protect tens of millions of dollars for the police budget, and led the effort at the Council to pass a $13 million anti-terrorism federal grant.”

“No one credibly believes my support for them or our dedicated city employees comes only in times of political convenience,” Flynn said in a statement. “During these uncertain times, the people of Boston want us to demonstrate positive leadership, and the ability to respect and listen to each other — not to play the blame game.”