How does one square "Nicaraguan police are pretty honest" with "they regularly pocket cash bribes to not enforce the laws, because living police salaries are luxuries for rich countries"?
It doesn't seem like a terrible system in practice, but it sure doesn't seem remotely "honest".
It is said often that the police in many cities in the US are mainly focused on revenue generation. Whether this is true or not I don't know. But if it is, it is no more honest than when a police officer earning $250/m asks $4 for an on the spot fine instead of the $20 and half a day lost trying to pay it officially.
It doesn't seem like a terrible system in practice, but it sure doesn't seem remotely "honest".