I think they already have.
It is a legitimate function of law enforcement to deal with these people.
But there are rules in place for this sort of thing. The rules are there for a reason. Many of these rules are "written in blood", as they say, because they are the result of lessons learned when people died.
NBC threw all of those rules out the window, and a man died.
You might wish to see Channel 8's attempt to interview the head of PervertedJustice (someone who has a shady past and is living under an assumed identity). A video, I might add, which is a real keeper because when the tables are turned, the head of PervertedJustice is far more insulting, aggressive, and thuggish than any of the ones he "snares." Ironically, the interviwer, Chris Hansen refuses to be interviewed about the Murphy fiasco.
The police agencies benefit from this alliance by getting financial compensation and possession of the perp's cars. Investigations of bribery are now underway. One police chief is driving around in a new SUV. Furthermore, city officials are chagrinned because all of this is being done without the police doing any investigation of their own.
Before the arrests, contrary to standard procedures, there were no arrest warrants issued. After the arrests, according to DA Roach, the required paperwork is not even being submitted in a majority of the cases!!!
One other thing which has not been mentioned is that the neighbors to the bait house are enraged because they did not want pedophiles coming from miles away into their neghborhoods. Something which has caused at least one city manager to resign.