Monday morning officers began donning caps emblazoned with the logo 10-33 -- a communications message meaning an officer needs assistance -- and will be handing out information pamphlets as they protest what they see as slow progress on a new contract.

Police officers are not legally allowed to strike. The 800 uniform officers and 300 civilians represented by the Durham Regional Police Association (DRPA) have been without a contract since the end of 2007.

Both sides in the labour dispute said Monday that despite an encouraging start to two days of talks over the weekend, there remains an impasse that has kept a deal from being reached. Management said it's offered a deal that would see salaries increase more than nine per cent over the next three years; a counter proposal has been tendered by the association.

DRPA President Doug Cavanaugh said that while the issues at play are not insurmountable, two irritants -- the slow pace of contract talks and ongoing concerns over frontline staffing levels -- are creating tensions that led cops to unanimously approve job action at a meeting in Oshawa last Wednesday night.

"It's disappointing," Mr. Cavanaugh said Monday morning.

"On Saturday we made a lot of progress (in talks with the police services board). But come Sunday afternoon, things went a little sideways."

Mr. Cavanaugh has accused the police services board of "dragging their feet" on a new deal with the association. He said officers are also concerned that budget concerns will slow down hiring, which he said is necessary to put enough cops on the beat to meet rising demand in busy Durham Region.

"We are constantly having the minimum (number of officers) on the road," Mr. Cavanaugh said.

"We think staffing levels need to be addressed."

Representatives of the police services board, which represents Durham Region in negotiations with the association, contend management is bargaining in good faith.

"We worked diligently to ensure a fair agreement for all members of the Durham Regional Police Association," bargaining committee chairman Roger Anderson said after the weekend's talks.

He said the board had tabled an offer that would see DRPA members receive an increase in excess of 9.3 per cent over the next three years.

"We remain prepared to work with the DRPA towards an agreement that is fair for both its members and the citizens of the Region of Durham," Mr. Anderson said in a prepared statement.

In an interview Tuesday, Beaverton resident and police services board chair Terry Clayton echoed those sentiments.

"I think we've given them a fair offer... Hopefully this situation will be resolved as quickly as possible," he said.

More talks are scheduled to begin Oct. 17.