Davenport was the first accredited Parks and Recreation Department in the state of Iowa in 2011 and was the only agency in the state until 2021. There are currently 220+ accredited park and recreation agencies in the United States.

The department received re-accreditation in 2016 and 2022 by the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) after being evaluated on 151 fundamental and non-fundamental standards. Parks passed all 37 of the fundamental standards and missed out on just two of the non-fundamental standards set by CAPRA. The department will be reviewed again Spring 2027.