HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (CBSMiami.com) – The city of Hollywood has become a lightning rod after the city decided to fire thirteen police officers. And the city’s police chief isn’t holding anything back in a stinging letter to the mayor and commissioners.

Chief Chadwick Wagner said in the letter that after the layoffs, and with likely retirements in the near future, the city will have more than 40 open police officer jobs.

Due to the looming shortage, Chief Wagner said that his department may not be able to maintain the safety of city neighborhoods because of his “ultimate obligation to provide sufficient police personnel to maintain a level of safety in our neighborhoods.”

Wagner said he will be eliminating many police assignments in order to maintain “a safe compliment of Police Officers on the road.”

Wagner said the officers will be quickly hired by other agencies and that two other police departments have already expressed interest in hiring some of the officers.