After almost a decade of planning under LEAA funding, the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement, Inc. (CALEA) was established in 1979 to oversee a voluntary accreditation program for law enforcement agencies. Four leading law enforcement organizations took part in the development of accreditation standards. The categories of standards include the law enforcement role, organization and administration, the personnel structure, the personnel process, law enforcement operations, operation support, traffic operations, prisoners and court-related activities, and auxiliary and technical services. The accreditation process is voluntary and consists of seven steps: application, completion of the agency questionnaire, self-assessment, on-site assessment, commission review, award ceremony, and reaccreditation. Critics of accreditation cite its cost, the imposition of a national program on State and local agencies, the time and resources involved, and the inadequacy of some of the standards. However, support for accreditation is growing, and about 700 agencies have become involved in the process. 7 references.