I know the police in the town where I live have to raise their own money just to exist. I mean it's common knowledge. So yes, they absolutely depend on revenue from fines. I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand, things have been safer and more peaceful since the police are here. It's reassuring to see the police cars just driving around town checking out to make sure everything's on the up and up, and we've had fewer "incidents." On the other hand, when they have to raise their funds by catching town residents (and drivers just passing through) doing wrong things, then it sets up an adversarial relationship between the police force and the people they are here to protect. It also seems that depending on fine revenue also means depending on people breaking the law, which seems like a conflict of interest. I don't have a good solution, especially in small towns where there truly is no tax revenue to fund a police department. But it's still disturbing that the way to get police in your town is to do it in that particular way.