Who pays for the police?

Is this something which should always be taxpayer funded or are there times when groups should pay?
It's a question which was raised in our state newspaper yesterday and one which I have since given some more thought to as it is of importance to me.
I volunteer as a steward at our state's annual "Show".I have written about that event before. It's a big one  - not going ahead this year because of Covid19 issues.  
Many people in this state would be surprised to learn that "the Show" is not a government run event. It is run by a not for profit organisation with charitable status. It is expected to pay for itself. It does own a large area of land near the CBD - something developers would no doubt love to get their hands on. Over the years buildings have gone up and come down. School and university exams have been  held there for thousands upon thousands of students. It has hosted thousands of events apart from the Show - everything from equestrian events to rock concerts. I have worked at craft fairs held there - and of course at the Show itself.
The Show however is very different from most events held there. It is intended to be a showcase for the entire state. The rural community depend on it to display, buy, sell, educate and more. The tourist industry uses it to do much the same. It provides companies with the opportunity to inform customers about new products as well as old products. Hundreds of thousands of people can go through the gates over the ten days in which the Show is held. Entry prices are still very reasonable when you consider you are getting an entire day's worth of entertainment - well into the night in fact as you can stay until 10pm. 
In a big crowd like that you need a police presence. As volunteers we see them walking around in pairs - and we can listen to the police band provide some entertainment too.  There is usually very little trouble at the event because people are there to enjoy themselves. Any big crowd will have petty theft issues and there have been accidents  - for which there are also ambulance officers on site. Occasionally other issues arise but the police attending the event normally enjoy their shift on duty there. It's a chance for the public to see them in a way they don't often see them.
We already pay for this through our taxes... or I thought we did. Now the state's police force want to charge organisers for attending the Show. 
To me this is not like charging for a police presence at a football match where there is a need for crowd control and a risk of hooliganism or a fight breaking out when emotions run high. At a rock concert where illegal drugs are likely to be sold and crowd control is also essential then a police presence is also vital. Such events are not, even if they bring money in, for the benefit of the entire state. The Show is for everyone. It benefits everyone in the state - even those who do not attend. The government is a big beneficiary. 
It is one of those times when our taxes should be used to benefit everyone.