Your second to last paragraph is often true. There is a mindset that goes:
1. Is this person being naughty?
2. If yes, what powers do we have to deal with it.
It's not normally a bad thing, but quite often it doesn't work well when morals and the law clash.
FWIW there's a "naturist" near me who likes to stand in the window rubbing his cock when the school kids are walking to and from school... should the local Police leave him be or try to "get him"?
If they do nothing you'll blame them if he does let his fantasies get the better of him (Police were warned many times...), if they do you'll moan about Police threatening innocent naturists. So it's a no-win situation.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
