International Association of Chief’s of Police

The Law Enforcement Challenge is a competition between similar sizes and types of law enforcement agencies. It recognizes and rewards the best overall traffic safely programs in the United States. The areas of concentration include efforts to enforce laws and educate the public about occupant protection, impaired driving, and speeding. Departments submit an application (usually in a three ring or presentation binder) which documents their agency's efforts and effectiveness in these areas. The winning safety programs are those that combine officer training, public information and enforcement to reduce crashes and injuries within its jurisdiction.

This program is financed through a grant awarded to the IACP by NHTSA. IACP & NHTSA believe an increase in traffic enforcement in a community results in a decrease in motor vehicle crashes, injuries, and fatalities and they have the studies to prove it! In fact, no single other program or strategy works as well as law enforcement in making the roads safer. This program complements all the other training and public information programs that NHTSA does to promote traffic safety. The IACP believes one of the best ways to promote, build, and increase participation in the national program is to establish state Challenge programs. This ways a state can conduct its own program and then forward the applications to us to include in the national competition. There are currently ten states that have compatible state programs.

The competition is a friendly way for departments to increase their attention to traffic safety. It provides opportunities for public recognition of exemplary programs (e.g., Nifty Fifty), incentive for continuing traffic safety activities, and documentation of agency effectiveness that can be used in future grant proposals. Every agency does some traffic safety programs, so participation does not require extra commitment on anyone's part. Merely documenting current activity has produced many winners. This documentation can help provide accountability and prove the value of a strong traffic program. Being the winner brings a great deal of positive attention to a department, benefits at budget time and enhances an agency's reputation as a department which is "tough on crime" yet prioritizes traffic safety. Forwarding a complete application to the IACP is all it takes for a department to be entered in the national program.

A panel of three judges will review each application and assign points based on the criteria. After the judging, the three scores are averaged and a final score is assigned. After all of the applications are scored, the agencies are ranked in their categories. A minimum of 50 points MUST be earned to receive an award. There amy be categories where no awards will be presented due to either a lack of entries or not enough agencies achieving a minimum score. All judges are independent members of the law enforcement community, public safety and corporate partners who have demonstrated advance knowledge of highway safety initiatives.

National Law Enforcement Challenge
A completed application must be submitted for consideration in awards. See complete instructions for applying in the Step-by-Step Guide.