Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee (LECC)

In the summer of 1981, the Attorney General's Task Force on Violent Crime recommended that each United States Attorney establish a Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee (LECC). The bipartisan Task Force included eight distinguished national criminal justice experts who closely examined federal, state, and local law enforcement needs. The recommendation to establish LECCs came as a direct result of the group's finding that local law enforcement cooperation was crucial, but that cooperation nationwide was uneven.

The Attorney General responded to the Task Force recommendations, and on July 21, 1981, issued an order instructing each United States Attorney to establish an LECC. Each committee has a U.S. Attorney's Office staff member as its coordinator. Today, all United States Attorneys' Offices have an LECC consisting of federal, state, and local agencies involved in district law enforcement. The goal of these committees is to improve cooperation and coordination among law enforcement groups, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of the criminal justice system. The LECC program has become a cornerstone of joint federal, state and local law enforcement efforts.

The Southern District of Georgia LECC mission is to facilitate and promote coordination, communication, and cooperation among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies by providing resources, information, training and technical assistance to those agencies. The LECC program develops and administers Georgia POST-certified training, provides access to DOJ grant information, and is a clearinghouse for law enforcement concerns and information. Additionally, the LECC program is instrumental in suggesting policy to the United States Attorney that affects law enforcement in the Southern District of Georgia.

The LECC also facilitates the development and implementation of community-based anti-drug and anti-violence programs, such as Project Safe Neighborhoods, the Human Trafficking Task Force and Project Safe Childhood. Through these community-based programs, the non-law enforcement community also is provided training and assistance.