Fact Sheet

2014 COPS AntiMethamphetamine Program

The FY 2014 COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP) is designed to advance public safety by providing funding directly to state law 

enforcement agencies to investigate illicit activities related to the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine. For FY 2014, the COPS 

Office awarded just over $6 million in CAMP grant funds to 10 state law 

enforcement agencies. Each grant is two years (24 months) in duration 

with no local match. In addition, each grant award was limited to no more 

than $1 million. 

Background 

The use of methamphetamine, a central nervous system stimulant often 

referred to by its street names such as crank, speed, ice, or crystal, has been 

a persistent problem for law enforcement agencies across the United States 

in recent years. Methamphetamine is cheap and addictive and was 

traditionally developed in clandestine laboratories that were often located 

in remote areas. Methamphetamine spreads quickly, most noticeably in 

rural areas, largely because of the simple preparation methods used and 

manufacturers’ easy access to the necessary precursor chemicals. 

In more recent years, changing trends in methamphetamine production 

and distribution have created new obstacles for law enforcement and public health agencies. While law enforcement efforts and precursor chemical 

sale restrictions have been successful in decreasing the domestic production of methamphetamine, foreign drug traffickers have capitalized on this 

decreased availability by quickly expanding their avenues of methamphetamine distribution as users have sought out new, reliable supplies.1

1 National Drug Threat Assessment 2011 (Johnstown, PA: National Drug Intelligence 

Center, 2011), http://www.justice.gov/archive/ndic/pubs44/44849/44849p.pdf.

Additional Resources

The following resources discuss various efforts to address 

the problem of methamphetamine:

The Methamphetamine Summit: 

A Process in Collaboration and 

Decision Making

With an emphasis on cross-disciplinary collaboration 

and participatory research, the summit approach is 

a case study for improved solutions to complex drug 

problems and holds promise for addressing a wider 

range of drugs in communities across the country. 

http://ric-doj.zai-inc.com/ric.php?page=detail&id=

COPS-P207.

Proceedings of the New England 

Methamphetamine Summit and 

Listening Post

A crucial component of effective community policing 

involves collaborating with stakeholders of specific 

crime problems to bring about the most effective 

responses. It was in this spirit that the COPS Office 

sponsored a one-day summit and listening post about 

methamphetamine in New England states, bringing 

together multidisciplinary teams from seven states. This 

document captures both the formal presentations and 

group discussion that took place at this summit. 

http://ric-doj.zai-inc.com/ric.php?page=detail&id=

COPS-W0552.

Strategic Efforts to Address 

Methamphetamine in Indian Country

Methamphetamine use in Indian country is an 

increasing problem and is involved in about 40% of the 

violent crime on reservations. Strategic Applications 

International (SAI) brought the Tribal Meth Grantees 

together for a four-day summit in Arizona called 

“Breaking the Meth Cycle.” Attendees focused on 

prevention, law enforcement, and treatment for meth 

use. This BOLO discusses the dilemma of limited criminal 

jurisdiction, as well as the persistent problem of methamphetamine use in Indian country, which has led to 

a critical increase in violence and crime. 

http://ric-doj.zai-inc.com/ric.php?page=detail&id=

COPS-W0723.

COPS Methamphetamine Grants 

Since 1998, the COPS Office has invested $500 million nationwide to 

combat the spread of methamphetamine. The COPS Office encourages 

agencies to focus on community policing approaches to methamphetamine 

U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Community Oriented Policing Services

www.cops.usdoj.gov
reduction. The office also works directly with state and 

local law enforcement agencies to craft innovative strategies, 

track and evaluate their implementation, and disseminate 

results to other jurisdictions confronting similar challenges. 

To combat methamphetamine in communities, the COPS 

Office encourages sites to develop partnerships with other 

agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency, 

fire departments, local businesses, mental health organizations, child protection services, and other local law 

enforcement entities. The COPS Office also encourages 

data collection and information-sharing efforts aimed 

at better identifying and responding to the needs of drug 

endangered children.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) uses COPS 

Office funds to provide training to state and local law 

enforcement professionals on clandestine lab enforcement 

operations, including basic certification, officer safety, and 

tactical training. The DEA also uses COPS Office funding 

to improve the clandestine lab information-gathering 

capabilities of the El Paso Intelligence Center, to carry out 

regional information-sharing conferences, and to assist 

state and local law enforcement in cleaning up methamphetamine lab sites. In FY 2013, the DEA received $12.5 

million in COPS Office funds for methamphetamine lab 

clean-up efforts. 

Funding Provisions

In FY 2014, the COPS Office awarded just over $6 million 

in CAMP grants to 10 state law enforcement agencies to 

investigate illicit activities related to methamphetamine distribution and manufacture.

Provisions include the following:

 CAMP provides funds directly to state law enforcement agencies in states with numerous seizures of 

precursor chemicals, finished methamphetamine, 

laboratories, and laboratory dump seizures. 

 CAMP funding must be used to locate or investigate illicit activities, including precursor diversion, 

laboratories, or methamphetamine traffickers. 

 CAMP funds state law enforcement agencies 

authorized by law or by a state agency to engage in 

or to supervise anti-methamphetamine investigative 

activities. Agencies that applied as part of a new or 

existing anti-methamphetamine task force with 

multijurisdictional reach and an interdisciplinary 

team structure received additional consideration.

 CAMP funding is not intended for cleanup, treatment programs, or prosecution of methamphetaminerelated activities.

Contact the COPS Office

For more information about the COPS Anti-Methamphetamine 

Program, please call the COPS Office Response Center 

at 800-421-6770, or visit the COPS Office online at 

www.cops.usdoj.gov.

September 2014