Although the ABP owes its existence to the general transformation of state and society in Spain since Franco, its roots go much deeper and are intimately entwined with a central and controversial theme in Basque history, the claim of the Basque nation to statehood. Historical origins and institutional foundations of the ABP are reviewed, along with achievements of and prospects for the ABP. The author notes that policing responsibilities in the Basque region have evolved from the national to the regional level, that the Spanish state still retains considerable authority and influence over the ABP through the Joint Security Commission and national policing legislation, and that a harmonious working relationship between Spanish and Basque authorities can be sustained as long as the legitimacy of each other's interests in policing the Basque region are recognized. 40 references