D.C. gay and lesbian police unit is government innovation award finalist

Washington, D.C.'s Metropolitan Police Department's Gay and Lesbian Unit is among the finalists for the Innovations in American Government Award. The group investigates crimes by and against the gay community and also provides community education and support. The SEED School in Washington also was cited. It is the nation's first urban public boarding school for grades 7 through 12. Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government selected 18 finalists for the award. The finalists will make a presentation before a national selection committee at Harvard on May 11. Six prizes of $100,000 will be awarded in July, five by the Kennedy school's Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation, and a sixth by the Fannie Mae Foundation. "Each takes a creative approach to a significant problem," said Gowher Rizvi, director of the Ash Institute, in a statement announcing the finalists. The finalists--selected from more than 1,000 applicants--include state, local, and federal government programs. (AP)