Was she the only one in town?
Cops here in San Antonio could walk down Broadway and make 20 arrest a night. Most don't because they just view it as a pain in the butt and the pimps will have new girls out there the next night.
As long as there are drugs available, the pimps will apparently always have an infinite supply.
she was a pimp, or a madam or whatever.
The police risked the lives of citizens not involved in the case because any pushback to them challenges their authority and must be dealt with at any costs to others.
The same behavior is exhibited in a numbers states on lockdown.