“There’s no law specifically stating that it is illegal for anyone to have sex with someone else.”
Not true. There are plenty of laws that say it is illegal for prison guards to have sex with inmates, or for teachers to have sex with students. Cops are in a similar position of power and authority over people they detain or arrest, so why should they be treated differently?
Of course there are laws against having sex with minors, etc. My specific point was that there is no law against two consenting adults, in general, with all of your caveats, from having sex. Nor is there a law permitting sex between two adults.
The title of this article that stated "She Had No Idea The Law Might Protect Them" from rape charges is blatantly incorrect. Just because there is no law prohibiting sex between an officer and a detainee, that doesn't give the officer carte blanche to commit rape.
My issue is not with the laws of New York, but with the headline writers at Buzzfeed.