Responding to criticism, Chief Cathy Lanier has come out swinging again. (Evan Vucci/AP)

Human Rights Watch, the well-respected NGO, has issued its long-awaited report on the D.C. police department’s practices in investigating sexual assault reports. The investigation paints a damning picture, Peter Hermann reports in The Post, of detectives doubting victims’ claims and failing to make proper police reports. “The police told me they didn’t want to waste their time with me,” one woman told the group.

But Police Chief Cathy Lanier has angrily discounted the report, saying its conclusions are based on incomplete or misleading data and attacking the credibility and motives of Human Rights Watch. The report, she says, does not reflect the current department culture regarding sexual assault reports.

Sorting things out falls to D.C. Council member Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6), who said he will convene a hearing later this year to probe the claims. Both Lanier and HRW have also asked the Justice Department to investigate. More from WaTimes, City Desk, Examiner, DCist, WTTG-TV, WRC-TV and WJLA-TV.

In other news:

Only Chris Donatelli is interested in developing Hill East parcel (Capital Business)

Judge is against trying to keep information in Chandra Levy court case secret (Legal Times)

DCPS-commissioned report could portend big changes in the system (D.C. Schools Insider)

Senate Democrats offer D.C. statehood bill — nice and early this time (D.C. Wire)

City procurement official arrested outside Reeves Center driving with an open bottle of white zinfandel (Loose Lips)

Order banning protester from D.C. is “a spectacular case of judicial overreach” (Post editorial)

At heated meeting, Cafritz Enterprises doesn’t back off Connecticut Avenue apartment plans (Post)

Prosecutors want DNA testing before deciding whether to retry Foggy Bottom beating case (Post)

Gray appointee Tom Downs is now Metro board chairman (Dr. Gridlock)

Former council chairman Linda Cropp now chairs CareFirst’s board (WBJ)

Herb Miller has moved from his Georgetown manse to a Logan Circle apartment (Housing Complex)

And his sons won the rights to redevelop a former library site on H Street NE (WBJ)

Report: D.C. teachers need to be better prepared before enter classrooms (WJLA-TV)

Everyone agrees: Tougher penalties for businesses that are repeat liquor-license offenders (Examiner)

Jonetta: Cracking down on poor parenting “is no panacea for poor test scores and low graduation rates” (Examiner)

Eleanor Holmes Norton wades into Jack’s Boathouse tussle (Housing Complex)

Will local politicos step up and make the case for Metro upgrades? (Post column, RPUS)

Patrick Mara is against eliminating the U.S. government requirement for high-school graduation (NBC)

And some charter schools are objecting to stronger phys-ed requirements (Examiner)

Notables host fundraiser for at-large candidate John Settles (D.C. Wire)

Now Dianne Feinstein is getting the David Gregory treatment (WaTimes)

Fred Smoot peed his pants at Capitol Police headquarters (Washingtonian)

The locomotive that crashed into Union Station 60 years ago now rusts away in Baltimore (DCist)

Seven ways to pick a school (GGW)

Another hearing on John Hinckley release plans (Crime Scene)

Who will be the Nats’ new racing president? (Sports Bog)