Metropolitan Police Department: Special Liaison Branch

Chief Cathy L. Lanier remains fully committed to ensuring the safety and well being of every person who lives, works, and recreates in the District. Her commitment includes those members of our community who are served by the Metropolitan Police Department's Special Liaison Units.

Mission and Vision
The mission of the Special Liaison Division is to provide a support mechanism to all citizens within the District of Columbia, empowering the community and building relationships through effective law enforcement strategies, leadership, advocacy, education and support. The vision of the Division is to build relationships based on mutual respect and trust by providing exceptional support to the citizens of the District of Columbia. These efforts will foster access, success and lifelong learning relationships while advancing the Districts interests in a well informed and empowered citizen base.

History of the Special Liaison Division
In December 2009, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced the expansion of the Special Liaison Branch to better serve the needs of the community; in May 2011, the branch was converted into a Division. The Special Liaison Division supports community policing with communities that are sometimes underserved, and is composed of the Asian Liaison Unit (ALU), Deaf and Hard of Hearing Liaison Unit (DHHLU), Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit (GLLU), and the Latino Liaison Unit (LLU).

The Special Liaison Division has expanded to include “affiliate” officers on patrol throughout the city. The affiliate officers have volunteered to receive specialized training on diverse communities, their issues and how to best serve them. They will continue to work in their home district, but will receive coordinated support, information, and trainings through the Liaison Units in the SLB.

This expansion enables MPD to:

You're Invited to Our Open House!
SLD Open House Flier

The Special Liaison Division will be holding open houses throughout November and December to engage the community and give residents an opportunity to learn more about each of the units that make up the Division. Check the schedule below for an open house in your community. You may also download a copy of the flier.

Location	Date	Time
Special Liaison Division 801 Shepherd Street, NW	Wednesday, November 16, 2011	6 PM
First District	Wednesday, January 11, 2012	6 PM
Second District	Wednesday, November 30, 2011	6 PM
Third District	Tuesday, December 6, 2011	6 PM
Fourth District	Wednesday, December 7, 2011	6 PM
Fifth District	Thursday, December 8, 2011	6 PM
Sixth District	Thursday, December 15, 2011	6 PM
Seventh District	Wednesday, December 21, 2011	6 PM

Learn More
Get more information on the Special Liaison Units:

Emergency call takers can handle calls in multiple languages and can accommodate members of the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. Once police are on the scene, you may request that an on-duty affiliate or Liaison Officer be contacted. For other police service, such as to request that an affiliate or Liaison Officer attend a meeting or to discuss other non-emergency issues, please contact the appropriate Liaison Office below.