The Process

The accreditation process is not easily accomplished, and a law enforcement agency that undertakes the task of obtaining accreditation must put forth a tremendous amount of effort. The accreditation process must be a joint effort on the part of the administration and the officers in the agency. While very difficult to obtain, the awarding of the Seal of Accreditation to a law enforcement agency not only benefits the law enforcement agency, it also provides numerous benefits for the citizens within the agency's jurisdiction. A few of the benefits include:

  • Recognition of excellence
  • Demonstrating the commitment of the agency to professionalism
  • Providing a means of independent agency evaluation
  • Providing a basis to correct any identified deficiencies
  • Committing policy and procedure to writing
  • Enhancing morale
  • Committing the agency to a broad range of programs, such as victim / witness and crime prevention programs
  • Promoting community cooperation and understanding