LEL Program

Tennessee’s Law Enforcement Liaison (LEL) Program is a federally funded initiative established in 1998 by the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO), per recommendation of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The LEL Program is the primary connector between THSO and local law enforcement agencies across the State of Tennessee to implement national and state traffic safety priorities through media campaigns, high-visibility enforcement and community engagement. These elements promote traffic safety education and law enforcement to prevent traffic fatalities and improve driver behaviors.

The LEL Program is comprised of four regionally based Law Enforcement Liaisons (LELs) covering East, Cumberland, Middle, and West Tennessee. Each LEL is responsible for developing and overseeing four to five traffic safety enforcement networks within his/her designated region. Each network includes at least one, full-time law enforcement officer designated as the network coordinator to organize local traffic safety events, activities and enforcement initiatives under the LEL’s leadership. LELs and respective network coordinators work closely to schedule monthly and/or quarterly planning meetings with local law enforcement agencies. Network meetings produce localized traffic safety education opportunities and high-visibility traffic safety law enforcement initiatives, as follows:

1. Traffic Safety Education

Traffic safety education is implemented through pre-planned events and activities promoting THSO’s media campaigns via press conferences and community engagements like county fairs and festivals where law enforcement officers showcase seatbelt convincers, driving simulators, and more. In advocacy of traffic safety education, LELs and network coordinators also collaborate with judiciaries, legal professionals, community advocates, and more.

2. High-Visibility Traffic Safety Law Enforcement

High-visibility traffic safety law enforcement is executed through multi-jurisdictional, pre-planned sobriety checkpoints, saturations and more.
Since its inception, Tennessee’s LEL Program has strengthened relationships and communication among the Tennessee Highway Safety Office, Tennessee Highway Patrol, and local law enforcement agencies across the State of Tennessee. The strength of these relationships is directly evidenced by the consistent achievement of 100 percent reporting from Tennessee local law enforcement agencies in conjunction with NHTSA’s media and enforcement campaigns.

Furthermore, the LEL Program hosts an annual State Law Enforcement Challenge to recognize excellence in Tennessee traffic safety. All Tennessee law enforcement agencies are eligible to participate. The LEC is promoted throughout the year during network meetings to encourage engagement and involvement.