Despite issuing $9.3 million in photo fines in 2004 -- a 75 percent increase --, fatalities nearly doubled from 11 to 21. There has been no decrease in the number of collisions. Police boast that they only ticket .28 percent of drivers, and that there is no decline in the number of tickets issued. So what again is the purpose of this system? The city expects to issue $16 million in fines this year.

But some things did get worse in 2004. The year saw 21 deaths on Scottsdale roads, up from 11 the previous year.

"I'm disappointed it's as high as it was," [police camera operator Bruce] Kalin said. "I don't have an explanation."

In the last 10 years, the average number of fatalities has been 22 a year.