You seem to be intentionally obtuse, implying that "the system is working". The existence of the possibility of a remedy does not justify obstructionist behavior. E.g. just because you can take me to court to get me to pay a bill doesn't give me permission to refuse to pay my bills, saying "so sue me" to everyone I owe money to.

So on general principle, the NYPD says "no" to everything, and forces you to appeal, and then forces you to take them to court.

This is not okay. In fact, it's not even close to okay. Governmental apparatus exists at the whim of the people, and when it places it's interests in opposition to ours, forcing us to jump through expensive, time-consuming hoops to extract even the smallest amount of compliance with the law, there is something deeply wrong with the organization at the highest levels. Evidence? The police chief should be yelling at someone about this, and making a public apology for what is clearly absurd and unsupportable stone-walling. The fact that he remains silent implies his complicity. (But then again, what do you expect from someone who condones and expands the appalling stop-and-frisk policy?)