Wichita ? More than a hundred police officers and their families demanded that the city resume contract negotiations during a protest Friday outside Wichita City Hall.

Just hours before the union contract was to expire, the group said private financial audits show the city can afford to give officers a 6 percent raise. City Manager George Kolb has said a tax increase or reducing other city services would be necessary to cover such a payroll increase.

In the most aggressive showing yet by the police union, protesters proclaimed Kolb the best-paid city manager in Kansas. They also toted signs that demonstrated the amount of money the city is spending on a new sports arena, its waterwalk and for airline subsidies.

“We’re open for negotiations,” said Sgt. Rick Moscicki, vice president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5.

Moscicki said the protest was intended to pressure Wichita City Council members to direct city lawyers back to the bargaining table.

The city has offered police a 2 percent pay increase in addition to the 2.5 percent merit increases police are eligible to receive. But police say it will take a 6 percent raise to keep them from leaving the department for higher-paying jobs.

“Obviously I want to see negotiations resume as soon as possible,” said council member Jim Skelton. “Anytime this kind of demonstration occurs, I find it very disturbing.”