Moderators are not only here to police. As an admin, on a larger website, we fix posts (usually to make them fit the family friendly rating), we get passwords, monitor chat, and all posts/replies.
Here it's a little different, though, but they aren't just here to police, (or I should say AM is here-since I think she's the only active mod right now) but also to moderate conflicts, retrieve passwords, and help in the general running of this forum.
I might be wrong on what they can do, since I've never ran a website like this, but I can tell you by experience, that ONE admin can not run a site/forum alone. Eventually that admin will burn out, from having to do so much.
However, if you look at the members list you will see that the moderators/admins are not here enough to even do that. I'm not faulting AM though, because I know she has other responsibilities to do during her days. TD definitely needs more moderators or admins to help run this site more smoothly. Especially when handling situations of conflict, and mediating that conflict to where there is a solution other than banning.
It is possible, I do it every single day on a site that has over 60,000 members on it. It can be done here.
ALL sites /need/ moderators though. Whileas you and I, and most people can maintain our cool enough not to become offensive or too aggressive, others may not can. To subject the rest of the members to stuff like that alone can tear down a website or a forum in no time. TD has a good thing going here, I'd hate to see that happen.
I know a lot of people think that more mods= less fun, but not always. At least if the moderators are trained, or taught well enough to /not/ let power go to their heads. I've seen that happen too.
~Amanda