The purpose of accreditation is to improve public service by maintaining and following comprehensivestandards set by law enforcement personnel, researchers and accreditation experts. These standards include internal and external reviews of policies, procedures, ethics, recruitment, hiring, training and discipline. There is also an emphasis on practices regarding Use-of-Force training and Internal Affairs investigations.

The accreditation process will take three years to complete. After the initial accreditation is awarded, CALEA will conduct an audit and review process every four years. If the standards are still met, CALEA will grant reaccreditation.