Help the COPS Office Review Grants!

Peer Review The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) will solicit grant applications in the coming months for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 COPS Office Anti-Heroin Task Force program (AHTF), COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP), and COPS Anti-Gang Initiative (CAGI). The AHTF program is designed to advance public safety by providing funds to investigate illicit activities related to the distribution of heroin or unlawful distribution of prescriptive opioids or unlawful heroin and prescription opioid traffickers through statewide collaboration. CAMP is designed to advance public safety by providing funds to investigate illicit activities related to the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine. CAGI is designed to advance public safety by providing funds to address gang activity.

We are currently seeking strong candidates to serve as subject matter expert (SME) reviewers for these highly competitive grant programs. We plan to develop a robust team of reviewers from federal agencies as well as external sources, including but not limited to law enforcement, academia, mental health, and state government. All reviewers must have a solid knowledge base as well as direct experience with at least one program-specific topic area—methamphetamine, heroin and other prescription opioids, or gangs—that would qualify them as a subject matter expert in the identified field. Participants may elect to serve in one of two roles: Lead Reviewer or Reviewer. Please find requirements for each role listed below.

Lead Reviewers
Lead Reviewers will be expected to review up to 10 applications, lead consensus review calls, and develop final consensus scoring reports requiring approximately 105 hours during the months of July and August. Lead Reviewers should further possess the following skills and traits:
- Detailed oriented
- Experience leading teams
- Experience with grants or working with grantees
- Experience scoring and norming applications
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
Reviewers
Reviewers will be expected to review up to 10 applications and develop individual scoring reports requiring approximately 75 hours during the months of July and August. Reviewers should further possess the following skills and traits:
- Detailed oriented
- Experience working on teams
- Experience scoring and norming applications
- Excellent oral and written communication skills

If you are interested in participating as a peer reviewer, please email the respective program mailbox (listed below) to express your interest by April 24, 2015. Upon receipt, the following documents will be sent for completion: Peer Review Participation Form, Disclosure of Conflict of Interest Form, and Confidentiality Agreement. All candidates will be added to the COPS Office peer reviewer database. Each selected participant will benefit professionally from this valuable experience. Non-federal reviewers will further receive compensation for participating. Candidates do not have to be located in the D.C. metro area to participate.

Program mailboxes:

Thank you in advance for your time and commitment. We greatly appreciate your support in ensuring the success of the COPS Office grant programs.

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