Actually, no. Law enforcement's hands were not tied. Law enforcement, at numerous levels, refused to enforce the law. This is why so many people in these different agencies were fired.
Here's the funny thing. I'm a teacher in Palm Beach County. I frequently teach in Boca Raton, at two schools that are about five minutes from MSD. This was THE story for months, with every detail dissected 24/7.
Because we were presented with every detail in such depth, and because of the proximity of my schools and MSD, which I frequently have to drive past, by the way,