NEW YORK -- Lawmakers and advocates rejoiced Friday after a federal appeals court refused to allowNew York City police unions to intervene in the city’s sweeping stop-and-frisk settlement. The decision removed the last major obstacle for Mayor Bill de Blasio in reforming the police department's use of the tactic, and in fulfilling a campaign promise that helped him win the mayor's race a year ago. “Today's ruling rejects the police unions' baseless attempts to obstruct stop-and-frisk reforms,” said Priscilla Gonzalez of the group Communities United for Police Reform.