 Founding NLLEA Members(left to right standing) Tom Parker (NC), Dennis Theoharis (MD), John Shimko (PA), John Britt (NC), Richard Evans Sr. (OR), David Goyette (WA), Don Murray (NC), Robert L. Garian (VA), \James Longerbone (OH), Ray Little (VA), Michael Reed (OR), Jimmy Sullivan (MS), James Mahoney (MD), John Wright (VA), Chris Curtis (VA), Richard White Sr. (VA) (left to right kneeling) Bill Patterson (NC), Randy Martin (MI), Holly Pomelow (ME), Diane Bumgardner (NC), and Roger Rosendale (MI) missing from photo-John S. Martin (ME) |
National Liquor Law Enforcement Association (NLLEA) was established to create a national forum for leaders in alcohol beverage control and liquor law enforcement to collaborate, share expertise, and strengthen enforcement efforts nationwide. What began as a small, dedicated organization of alcohol enforcement directors meeting annually to address common challenges and provide foundational training for officers new to Alcohol Regulatory Enforcement (ARE) has grown into a respected national association representing a broad cross-section of federal, state, tribal, and local agencies. NLLEA’s formation was rooted in the recognition that alcohol regulation plays a critical role in public safety, and its rich history reflects decades of leadership, professionalism, and commitment to advancing effective and consistent alcohol law enforcement across the country.
What is now known as the NLLEA began in 1987 with a meeting and conference then referred to as the Control States ABC Conference. Held in North Carolina, the inaugural gathering brought together participants from 10 states, laying the groundwork for a national organization focused on alcohol law enforcement. The first official annual meeting and conference under the NLLEA name took place in 1988 in Maine, where members formally adopted the Association’s constitution and by-laws. The momentum continued in 1989 with the second annual meeting and conference in South Carolina, the same year NLLEA was formally incorporated, solidifying its role as a national leader in alcohol regulatory enforcement collaboration and professional development.
 First NLLEA Officers 1988-89(left to right) David Goyette (WA), Vice President, John S. Martin (ME), President, and Jimmy Sullivan (MS), Secretary-Treasurer |
Today, NLLEA is governed by an elected Board and is recognized as a national leader in advancing the professionalism, effectiveness, and visibility of alcohol law enforcement as a critical component of public safety. Members benefit from real-time information sharing, research and policy resources, professional development opportunities, and an annual conference that brings together more than 250 enforcement, association, and public health professionals from across the country.
While the NLLEA was founded in 1987, for the first 15 years, it was primarily an organization comprised of the directors of alcohol beverage control enforcement agencies who met once a year for an annual conference and provided a one-week training academy for line officers new to Alcohol Law Enforcement (ALE).
The NLLEA now has a more sophisticated communications system that allows for the provision of real-time information to its members on recent ALE efforts and challenges, along with a wealth of research summaries, publications, and information on liquor law enforcement on the NLLEA website.
A central tenet of the NLLEA’s mission is to elevate the standards of liquor law enforcement and foster interagency collaboration. To this end, the Association provides best practice guidance on alcohol-related laws, policies, and enforcement protocols. NLLEA advocates for robust regulatory systems that rely on fully sworn liquor control officers, professionals with the training, authority, and expertise to enforce alcohol laws through both criminal and administrative mechanisms. The Association also maintains active partnerships with national, state, and LLE bodies, alcohol research institutions, public health organizations, and responsible industry representatives to promote evidence-based practices and public safety outcomes.
 2025-26 NLLEA Executive Board(left to right) Jim Diana (DE), Immediate Past President, Kellette Mayberry (OH), Vice President, Marc Haalman (VA), President, Chris Temple (MA), Secretary/Treasurer, and Israel Morrow (NC), Sgt.-at-Arms |
Between 2001 and 2011, the NLLEA, in partnership with the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (PIRE), implemented a series of federally funded demonstration projects aimed at preventing impaired driving and underage drinking. These initiatives, primarily supported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), involved comprehensive legal research on alcohol policies, interviews with state Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) agency leaders, and the development and testing of innovative enforcement strategies. Early research efforts culminated in three major NHTSA publications, which informed subsequent demonstration projects that tested specific interventions, including the enforcement of happy hour laws in Texas, the use of Place of Last Drink (POLD) data in Washington and New Hampshire, compliance checks and media advocacy in Ohio, security staff training in Denver, and case studies on source investigations and social host laws.
Following its transition to a self-sufficient nonprofit organization in 2012, NLLEA completed additional NHTSA-funded projects between 2012 and 2025. These included: the development of source investigation protocols in partnership with Indiana and Massachusetts and the creation of an accompanying online toolkit; impaired driving crackdowns in Virginia, New Hampshire, and South Carolina focused on over-service enforcement during high-risk periods; a study on State Highway Safety Office (SHSO) funding models across seven ALE agencies resulting in a practical guide; pilot projects in Iowa, Missouri, and Vermont to demonstrate the utility of POLD data; an implementation study of POLD practices in Vermont; and a pilot initiative focused on alcohol delivery compliance in Colorado, Connecticut and Louisiana.
Beyond NHTSA collaborations, NLLEA has also partnered with the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association (NABCA) on grants to support webinars, conference planning, and audits of direct-to-consumer alcohol shipping practices. Additionally, NLLEA has actively contributed to the Sober Truth on Preventing (STOP) Underage Drinking Act since 2010 by analyzing enforcement policies, compiling agency protocols, advising on policy surveillance efforts, and contributing data and insights to the annual Report to Congress.
NLLEA operates under the leadership of a single full-time staff member, supported by a volunteer Board of Directors and an active Professional Development Committee. Despite its small staff size, the organization has demonstrated consistent growth, robust fiscal oversight, and a strong record of delivering impactful national training and public safety initiatives.