About LEL

What is a Law Enforcement Liaison?

A Law Enforcement Liaison (LEL) serves as a vital link and conduit between a State Highway Safety Office (SHSO) and that state’s law enforcement community. LELs help promote and enhance state and national highway safety programs, initiatives and campaigns and perform a myriad of functions, including planning, organizing, networking, promoting, recruiting, implementing, reporting and evaluating law enforcement’s role in traffic safety projects, activities, and achievements.

LELs are sworn and retired law enforcement officials who may perform their duties on a contractual basis, as part of their police activities or under a grant from the SHSO. One of their most important tasks is to recruit and encourage state and local law enforcement participation in the national and state traffic safety mobilizations, but they continuously work toward a culture of sustained and effective traffic enforcement programs. The involvement of state LELs has increased the number of law enforcement agencies participating in traffic safety activities, and this contributes to crash reductions.

The National Law Enforcement Liaison Program

The National Law Enforcement Liaison Program (NLELP) was created by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), funded by NHTSA under a cooperative agreement. The purpose of the program is to enhance communications between LELs, ensure greater coordination of LEL activities nationwide, create and support LEL training and guidance workshops to increase the knowledge and skills of LELs and provide technical assistance.

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State and Regional LEL Contacts

LELs work to support highway safety initiatives in regions and states across the nation.

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LEL Partners

The success of LELs is supported by a large network of federal, state and organizational partners.

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