The study design incorporated three levels of agency size in an effort to ensure that comparisons were made among agencies with comparable resources. The number of cases studied was 150. Questions that measured the concepts of interest relative to hiring, education, and promotion were assembled into a self- administered questionnaire. Some of the results were statistically significant. Accredited municipal police agencies were more likely to conduct job analyses on positions. Accredited police agencies were also more likely to use polygraph examinations to screen candidates. A higher proportion of accredited agencies offered incentives for education than did nonaccredited agencies. At the same time, statistically higher proportions of accredited agencies actively recruited college- educated officers by going to campuses. Most agencies that made changes as a result of becoming accredited reported that the quality of new officers was higher. 220 references and a subject index