The Emergency Federal Law Enforcement Assistance (EFLEA) Program assists state and/or local government units in responding to extraordinary law enforcement emergencies by authorizing the U.S. Attorney General to grant funding to help alleviate the costs incurred by law enforcement agencies in responding to emergency law enforcement challenges.

Program Assistance Eligibility

Key determining factors for a law enforcement emergency that qualifies for EFLEA resources are a situation that could escalate into a law enforcement emergency of epidemic proportion and subsequently pose an imminent threat to public safety. The threat must be of sufficient magnitude to overwhelm a state or local government’s ability to respond to the threat.

If a law enforcement emergency arises, a state may apply for assistance on behalf of itself or units of local government. The submission for EFLEA resources must be in writing and submitted by the State Administering Agency (SAA) Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) contact, acting on behalf of the chief executive officer for the state. The SAA JAG contact must send the written request to the BJA Director, who will approve or disapprove the request no later than 10 days after its receipt.

Funding Opportunities

There are not currently any opportunities available through this program. See the Past Funding page for information about previous EFLEA opportunities.

Examples of Recent Funding Awarded Through EFLEA

• The Minnesota Department of Public Safety received $1 million in FY 2020 to help offset unexpected law enforcement overtime costs incurred in response to the intense civil unrest following the death of Mr. George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis.
• The Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services received $89,254 in FY 2019 to help offset costs for the law enforcement response to the mass shooting that occurred in Dayton's Oregon Entertainment District that killed 9 people and injured another 27.
• The Texas Office of the Governor’s Criminal Justice Division received $1.5 million in FY 2019 to help offset costs for the law enforcement response to the mass shooting at a Walmart in El Paso that killed 22 people and injured 26.
• The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services received $500,000 in FY 2019 to reimburse costs associated with the law enforcement response to a gunman who shot and killed 12 people and injured 4 others after opening fire in a Virginia Beach public works building.