This week’s rash of retirements by Boston firefighters seeking disability pensions is but one part of a wave of such departures across Massachusetts, as a pair of new state laws that could greatly diminish the pension benefits of public safety workers take effect today.

Police officers in Boston were filing for disability pensions in unusually high numbers over the past several days because of a key change in how benefits are calculated, and officers around the state were putting in for retirement after the Legislature slashed a key pay provision.

Ten Boston police officers with outstanding disability claims have filed for retirement since Thursday, police officials said. “That would be more than we typically see,’’ said Elaine Driscoll, a police spokeswoman.

The likely reason: Under a new state law, pensions will be based on the salary employees received in the 12 months prior to their injury, rather than, as before, the 12 months prior to their retirement. That is significant because employees can be out on injury leave, collecting raises and cost-of-living hikes, for many years.

One of those officers, Maureen E. Parolin, a sergeant detective, has been on injured leave for nine years because of a car accident. Her case, which has been moving glacially through city and state review panels, has become a symbol of the exorbitant costs and many delays of the Boston retirement system. By seeking retirement before the law took ef fect, Parolin stands to nearly double her annual pension, to $83,175 from the $43,750 she would get if she had filed for retirement after today, according to city payroll records. She could not be reached for comment.

Elsewhere in the state, police officers were rushing to retire for yet another reason: A dramatic cut in the state budget threatens to diminish their pay and future pension benefits. The budget, which takes effect today, greatly reduces funding for the Quinn Bill, a program that boosts the salaries of police officers who hold college degrees. The state allocated $10 million for the program this year, down from roughly $50 million.

That reduction means police in many communities will not only earn less on the job but could also see reduced pensions, which are calculated on salaries.

For example, immediately after Governor Deval Patrick signed the state budget Monday, seven of the most veteran members of the Arlington Police Department finalized their retirement. “The institutional knowledge and veteran police command experience that just went out the door is nearly impossible to replace,’’ said Arlington Police Chief Frederick Ryan, who lost all three of his next most senior leaders.