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As the debate over pay lumbers on between Tucson's largest police union and City Hall, one of the force's top administrators has instructed officers not to involve the public in the dispute.

Deputy Chief Kermit Miller sent an e-mail to the entire Police Department reminding officers they shouldn't tell people to call city officials about pay or staffing levels while on duty.

"It is unacceptable for on-duty members to encourage citizens whom they have contact with to contact elected city of Tucson officials or the City Manager's Office with concerns about staffing or salaries," Miller says in the April 29 e-mail.

The e-mail was sent in the midst of a dispute between the Tucson Police Officers Association and City Manager Mike Hein that has become increasingly tense.

With the city is fighting tough budget times, Hein recommended no pay raises for any employees and no increase in the number of police officers for the fiscal year starting July 1.

Union officials claim that ignores a "crisis" in the Police Department — morale is at an all-time low because response times are increasing and "wait times" for victims of crimes are growing, union President Larry Lopez told the Star last week.

Miller said he had gotten information that two people had called either City Hall or a council office and said police officers told them to contact city officials if they had complaints about lengthy response times.

"It's something that if it's happening, it needs to stop," Miller said.

Officers should do their job, act professionally and not get the public involved in their labor dispute, Miller said. That's the union's job, he said.

If people have complaints about the length of time it takes officers to respond to calls, they should take it up with the Police Department, not City Hall, Miller said.

Since the e-mail went out, Miller said he hasn't heard of any complaints from citizens about staffing levels or response times.

In a telephone interview Monday, Lopez called the order "unjust." He said if citizens ask police officers questions about lagging response times, they're obligated to tell the truth. If people then ask whom they need to talk with to change things, officers should be able to tell them, he said.

"The people who vote and the people who make the rules, they're at City Hall, not the Police Department," Lopez said.

City Manager Mike Hein said he has received calls from Tucson residents who were urged by on-duty police to contact his office to complain about police staffing levels.

"I'm aware this has been happening and that's unfortunate," Hein said. "But I don't think that's the majority of officers out there."

Hein said unions and city management often have differences over labor negotiations. "Clearly, we should not let disagreements affect the service to the community," Hein said.