The primary purpose of the commission was to establish and administer an accreditation process for law enforcement agencies. Accreditation was seen as one way to professionalize the police and to improve the delivery of law enforcement services to the communities they served. To this end, CALEA researched, tested, and approved standards for law enforcement administration and operations. These standards were then made available to agencies through a voluntary accreditation program. A brief overview of these standards and the accreditation process are provided. The methods by which the Palos Heights, Illinois, Police Department met these criteria and achieved accreditation status is described. 2 footnotes.