Exactly. The police did their best to make Lincoln safe, but couldn't manage it. Even with Boss Batir gone, it was a mess, because they couldn't easily reach the problem population. Boss Blaster came in from a different direction and has made brisk progress.

It only makes sense for cops to focus on other things and not jostle him while he's cleaning up the city. Ned was just the first to catch that clue, right when the first amenities went up in an empty lot.