The Inspector General Criminal Investigator Academy was officially established at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), Glynco, Georgia, in February 1994 per a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the FLETC and the President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency (PCIE). The MOU acknowledged "the significant benefits of efficiency and effectiveness which are derived from a consolidated approach to training." In November 2000, The IG Criminal Investigator Academy was established in Public Law 106-422 "for the purpose of performing investigator training services for offices of inspectors general created under the Inspector General Act of 1978."

The Inspector General Reform Act of 2008 combined the two existing IG councils, the PCIE and the Executive Council on Integrity and Efficiency, into one statutory Council of IGs on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) to be chaired by an IG. The mission of the CIGIE is to address integrity, economy and effectiveness issues that transcend individual agencies, and to increase the professionalism and effectiveness of IG personnel by maintaining one or more training academies.

The Investigations Committee of the CIGIE is recognized as the board of directors for the Academy, subject to general review and oversight of the CIGIE. The Academy Director is designated as the agency representative at FLETC for the CIGIE members without on-Center agency representation.