TAMPA, Fla. — The Bureau of Justice Assistance awarded nearly $290 million in federal funding to support state, local, and tribal governments in criminal justice operations across the country. Law enforcement agencies in the Middle District of Florida received more than $3.5 million of the total distribution.
The grants were issued through the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program, which is the primary source of federal criminal justice funding for state and local jurisdictions, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. For more than 20 years, the program has provided funding for personnel, equipment, technology, training, and crime prevention programs.
Overall, the Bureau of Justice Assistance distributed more than $199 million in state-level funding across 56 individual awards. An additional $90 million was allocated for local-level funding across 895 awards nationwide.
For Fiscal Year 2025, federal guidelines highlighted specific areas of emphasis for jurisdictions receiving funds, including combating violent crime, immigration enforcement, creating safe communities, and protecting houses of worship.
In addition to direct law enforcement operations, the grant program supports criminal justice and civil court proceedings, operational priorities, corrections agencies, and dedicated services for crime victims and witnesses.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2026 Cox Media Group
