Department of Defense
INSTRUCTION
NUMBER 3025.21
February 27, 2013
USD(P)
SUBJECT: Defense Support of Civilian Law Enforcement Agencies
References: See Enclosure 1
1. PURPOSE. In accordance with the authority in DoD Directive (DoDD) 5111.1 and Deputy
Secretary of Defense Memorandum (References (a) and (b)), this Instruction:
a. Establishes DoD policy, assigns responsibilities, and provides procedures for DoD support
to Federal, State, tribal, and local civilian law enforcement agencies, including responses to civil
disturbances within the United States, including the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands, and any territory or possession of the United States or any other
political subdivision thereof in accordance with DoDD 3025.18 (Reference (c)).
b. Prescribes the regulations required by section 375 of title 10, United States Code (U.S.C.)
(Reference (d)).
c. Incorporates and cancels DoDDs 3025.12, 5525.5, and 5030.46 (References (e), (f), and
(g)).
2. APPLICABILITY. This Instruction:
a. Applies to OSD, the Military Departments, the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs
of Staff (CJCS) and the Joint Staff, the Combatant Commands, the Defense Agencies, the DoD
Field Activities, and all other organizational entities within the DoD (hereinafter referred to
collectively as the “DoD Components”).
b. Applies to the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Defense (IG, DoD)
only to the extent that this Instruction does not conflict with any of the duties and responsibilities
assigned to the IG, DoD pursuant to section 8(g) of Appendix, title 5, United States Code
(U.S.C.) (also known as “The Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended” (Reference (h))).
