Welcome to Gatlinburg Law Enforcement Conference

From the Marijuana Eradication Conference to a premier regional law enforcement training event

The Gatlinburg Law Enforcement Conference began in the mid 1990’s as the Marijuana Eradication Conference. Its original sponsorship reflected a focused regional partnership among the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern and Western Districts of Kentucky and the Eastern District of Tennessee. At the time, marijuana eradication was a major law enforcement priority across Appalachia and the surrounding region, and the conference created a forum where federal prosecutors, federal agencies, state officers, and local law enforcement leaders could share information, coordinate strategies, and strengthen working relationships.

From those three founding districts, the conference steadily expanded in both size and reach. Over time, as many as 18 U.S. Attorney’s Offices became involved in supporting the conference, demonstrating its value as a regional training and coordination effort. In its early years, attendance grew to more than 1,000 participants per conference, a milestone that reflected the demand for practical, high-quality training and the importance of bringing law enforcement professionals together across jurisdictional lines.

In the early 2000s, the conference’s name was changed from the Marijuana Eradication Conference to the Gatlinburg Law Enforcement Conference. The new name reflected an expanded mission. While the conference’s roots remained tied to drug enforcement and interagency cooperation, its programming broadened to address the full range of challenges facing law enforcement. The conference continued to emphasize collaboration among local, state, and federal officers while providing timely and relevant training designed to improve public safety and professional excellence.

Throughout its history, the conference has maintained a strong association with the U.S. Attorneys and the U.S. Department of Justice. That relationship has been central to the conference’s identity. The participation and support of U.S. Attorney districts throughout the Southeast helped establish the conference as a trusted venue for coordination, training, and leadership development. The conference has also welcomed senior leadership from major federal law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Marshals Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Over the years, the conference has drawn participation from some of the nation’s highest-ranking Department of Justice officials. At least three United States Attorneys General have attended: Attorney General Alberto Gonzales in 2005, Attorney General Jeff Sessions in 2018, and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, identified in 2026 conference materials as a keynote speaker for that year’s conference. Deputy Attorney General James B. Cole also attended in 2014. Their participation underscores the conference’s significance and its continuing relationship with national law enforcement leadership.

Today, the Gatlinburg Law Enforcement Conference is sponsored by the Kentucky Association of Chiefs of Police and continues to receive support from U.S. Attorney districts throughout the Southeast. The modern conference remains committed to its founding principles: bringing together law enforcement professionals from multiple levels of government, promoting cooperation and coordination, and delivering high-quality training. Current conference materials describe it as a premier training event for law enforcement professionals in the Southeast, with programming that includes leadership, investigations, officer wellness, victim services, public safety challenges, and emerging criminal threats.

From its beginning as a focused marijuana eradication training conference to its current role as a broad regional law enforcement conference, the Gatlinburg Law Enforcement Conference has adapted to meet the changing needs of the profession. Its history reflects the value of sustained partnerships among local, state, and federal agencies. Its continued success rests on the same foundation that shaped its creation in 1996: cooperation, coordination, and a shared commitment to strengthening public safety through excellent training.