THE CANADIAN POLICE SYSTEM IS A LAW UNTO ITSELF, POSSESSING NEITHER THE AUTHORITARIAN TRADITIONS OF EUROPEAN COUNTRIES AND COMMUNIST REGIMES, THE SOCIETAL INVOLVEMENT OF THE JAPANESE AND CHINESE SYSTEMS, NOR THE CONCEPT OF POWER THAT CHARACTERIZES THE AMERICAN POLICE SYSTEM. ALTHOUGH THE CANADIAN POLICE SHARE MANY OF THE ATTITUDES AND DISCIPLINES OF THE ENGLISH POLICE, THERE ARE VAST INSTITUTIONAL DIFFERENCES. THE SURVEY BEGINS WITH CANADA'S PRECONFEDERATION PERIOD, DURING WHICH EACH AREA OF CANADA HAS ITS OWN POLICING TRADITIONS. AFTER CONFEDERATION, THIS RANDOM PATTERN CONTINUED, TEMPERED BY THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A FEDERAL CRIMINAL CODE AND BY THE ADVENT OF THE ROYAL NORTH WESTERN (LATER CANADIAN) MOUNTED POLICE (RCMP). THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROVINCIAL POLICE FORCES IN QUEBEC, ONTARIO, AND BRITISH COLUMBIA IS TRACED, WITH REFERENCES TO RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PROVINCIAL AND LOCAL FORCES AND TO POLITICAL AND OTHER INFLUENCES. THE HISTORY OF THE CONTRACT SYSTEM THAT EVOLVED BETWEEN BRITISH COLUMBIA AND THE RCMP IS RECOUNTED. POST-WORLD WAR II REFORMS IN ONTARIO AND QUEBEC ARE DESCRIBED. THE POLITICAL IMPACT OF THE RCMP'S ACTIVITIES IN QUEBEC FOLLOWING UPON TERRORIST ACTS BY FRENCH SEPARATISTS IN 1970 IS DISCUSSED. SUBSEQUENT IMPROVEMENTS IN COOPERATION AMONG FEDERAL, PROVINCIAL, AND LOCAL POLICE AND IN POLICE PLANNING AND RESPONSE CAPACITIES ARE NOTED. (LKM)