The standards in this chapter relate to the inspectional process within a law enforcement agency. The inspectional process is an essential mechanism for evaluating the quality of the agency’s operations; ensuring that the agency’s goals are being pursued; identifying the need for additional resources; and ensuring that control is maintained throughout the agency. Inspections may include, for example, evaluation of facilities, vehicles, equipment, records, personnel, investigative procedures, crime reporting practices, and incident reports. The inspectional process compares the agency’s formal expectations with actual performance. Inspections, conducted with clear objectives and a positive approach, provide a means of communication within the agency, not only "downward" but also "upward."

The inspectional process, at both the line and the staff levels, provides the chief executive officer and other managers and supervisors with a means of regularly assessing the agency’s efficiency and effectiveness and provides information necessary to plan for change. Clear objectives for the inspectional process should be established; it should also be acknowledged that inspectional activity can properly evaluate performance only by comparing it with previously established goals, objectives, policies, procedures, and rules and regulations. All agencies should conduct line inspections, which should be carried out by supervisors at all levels. Larger agencies should also have formally organized staff inspection components.

Staff inspections may overlap depending on the construction of the specific systems. Generally, line inspections focus on the condition of facilities, equipment, procedures, uniforms, etc., and are done frequently by a line supervisor. Staff inspections generally focus on agency procedures and are done infrequently by staff personnel. For example, a line inspection may determine if patrol officers are checking their cars at the beginning of their shift as required by a department directive. A staff inspection system may monitor organizational components in terms of their results; for example, a detective unit may be required to report solvability rates for various crimes or a patrol unit asked to report the number of DUI arrest per hours of DUI patrol. These reports are valuable for decisions concerning resource allocation, modification of component objectives, and training needs.