Over the course of colonization, Aboriginal people in Canada have always had state-based police forces imposed on their territories. Despite this situation, aboriginal nations have managed to develop and implement autonomous aboriginal police services. Within a socio-historical context, this paper examines the process by which these autonomous aboriginal police services were successfully implemented. Through documentary analysis, it reconstructs the origins and history of aboriginal police forces in Canada, with a particular focus on the province of Québec. This analysis reveals that a shift in aboriginal policies towards improved self-determination during the 1960’s is at the root of aboriginal police forces. This shift was due to the recognition that Aboriginal people had traditionally been subjected to forced integration and unwarranted dependence on the state. The construction of aboriginal police forces is indissolubly linked to the progressive recognition of Aboriginal rights in Canada.