Denver police are protesting a "point" system where cops are given a certain number of points against their record when accused of misconduct. By slowing down the number of tickets they write, they expect the city to suffer.

Except the speed cameras are humming along, wholly run by a private contractor. And the legislature has raised the fine amount, with the net result of an 8 percent increase in revenue. The cops will have to try harder.

Most culprits are caught in school and safety zones, the typical locations for the radar vans. To date, about 50,000 speeding tickets have been issued through this program, which is operated by a private contractor and requires no police officers.

City revenue from traffic tickets hasn't dropped with the decline in citations.

Denver County Court records show that 81,410 traffic filings from January to October generated about $7.6 million in fines and associated fees.