The U.S. Court of Appeals for D.C. on Thursday denied the District’s petition to re-hear its case challenging the constitutionality of the police checkpoint program used in Trinidad in 2008. The controversial “Neighborhood Safety Zone” checkpoints adopted by D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier were first ruled unconstitutional by a three-judge panel on July 10, and this time, a total of seven out of eight judges voted not to grant the District’s petition to re-hear…

D.C. Wire is reporting that MPD Chief Cathy Lanier’s controversial “Neighborhood Safety Zone” checkpoint tactic has passed its first test in federal court. U.S. District Judge Richard Leon today denied a request for a preliminary injunction against the checkpoints filed by a group of District residents. In the ruling, Leon found that the checkpoints are not unconstitutional and are a reasonable crime prevention tactic to use against a specific kind of vehicle-related violent crime. This…

Can you say Police State? The Examiner has the scoop on a controversial new program announced today that would create so-called “Neighborhood Safety Zones” which would serve to partially seal off certain parts of the city. D.C. Police would set-up checkpoints in targeted areas, demand to see ID and refuse admittance to people who don’t live there, work there or have a “legitimate reason” to be there. Wow. Just, wow. Some of the words used…