Accreditation and public safety are vital issues for colleges, but rarely do they put the two together. The International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators is trying to change that. The group, known as Iaclea, started accrediting colleges' police and public-safety departments last year, holding them to a strict set of standards. The voluntary program is another step in the increasing professionalization of those agencies, experts say. It was designed to ensure proper procedures and to develop or tighten policies on the security issues colleges face. According to Iaclea, institutions that pursue the accreditation may lower their insurance costs and bolster their defense against lawsuits.