To establish the designation of Authorized Independent Credentialing Body (AICB) and procedures for U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) recognition of the same.

For the purposes of this policy, we define the following key terms:

Accreditation 
Accreditation is formal recognition that a law enforcement agency operates in compliance with a pre-determined set of professional standards, as assessed by an independent credentialling body.

Independent credentialing body 
Independent credentialing bodies are nonfederal entities that maintain established programs of standards applicable to law enforcement agencies, assess agencies’ compliance with the standards, and accredit those agencies that meet a pre-determined standard of assessment.

Law enforcement agency 
Law enforcement agencies are units of state, tribal, local, and territorial governments with law enforcement authority and responsibility encompassing defined jurisdictions. Nongovernment entities employing sworn law enforcement officers are also included in this definition, so long as their jurisdiction is statutorily established by a state, tribal, local, or territorial government (such examples might include a university, hospital, port authority, independent school district, or railroad).

National Standards for Independent Credentialing Bodies (NSICB) 
The NSICB are a set of guidelines established by the DOJ in consultation with professional accreditation organizations, law enforcement organizations, civil rights and community-based organizations, civilian oversight and accountability groups, and other appropriate stakeholders that further the applicable policies identified in section 19 of Executive Order 14074. The NSCIB include both guidelines that credentialing bodies must include in their accreditation program to be recognized as an AICB (mandatory standards) and guidelines that are recommended (optional standards).

The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) is tasked with administering the AICB recognition process and with maintaining a list of entities that have been recognized by the DOJ as AICBs. The list will be made publicly available on the COPS Office website and updated regularly.

The COPS Office will also maintain the current requirements related to accreditation, including the National Standards for Independent Credentialing Bodies (NSICB), which shall be made publicly available on the COPS Office website. The Director of the COPS Office or designee will review the NSICB annually to ensure that the standards remain relevant and aligned with current DOJ guidance.

In reviewing the standards, the Director or designee may seek input from stakeholder groups, including law enforcement leadership and labor organizations, credentialing bodies, civil rights groups, police policy advocacy organizations, and other appropriate stakeholders.

1. To apply for recognition as an AICB, an entity shall send a letter of intent to the attention of the Director of the COPS Office. The letter should be sent via email to COPS_AICB@usdoj.gov and must contain
   
   1. the full name of the applicant entity;
   2. the name of the official with authorization to apply for recognition on behalf of the entity;
   3. a brief description of the entity’s accreditation program.
2. Upon receipt of a letter of intent, the Director will assign personnel from the COPS Office to provide technical assistance to the applicant entity on the mechanics of the application process for AICB recognition.
3. To qualify as an AICB, the application must demonstrate that the applicant entity does the following:
   1. Maintains a comprehensive and current set of standards that are compliant with Federal law and consistent with industry best practices
   2. Conducts independent assessments of a law enforcement agency’s compliance with accreditation standards and does not rely on the law enforcement agency’s self-certification alone
   3. Requires an accredited law enforcement agency to successfully renew its accreditation status at intervals no longer than four years
   4. Maintains a publicly available list of law enforcement agencies accredited by their organization
   5. Requires compliance with standards that meet or exceed each required standard in the National Standards for Independent Credentialing Bodies (NSICB) maintained by DOJ; if the entity believes that any required standard in the NSICB conflicts with a state law or other regulation binding on law enforcement agencies, the application for recognition should include this information, including the specific law or regulation in conflict and the jurisdiction of those agencies affected
4. The final decision on AICB recognition rests with the Director. In adjudicating the merits of an application for recognition, the Director may also consider the recommendation of COPS Office personnel assigned to review applications.
5. AICB recognition shall be valid for a period of five years, except that an AICB that has substantially altered its standards within the five-year period may be selected for review at an earlier interval, as determined by the Director.