八国联军侵占天津后,在 “都统衙门” 设立巡捕局,维持治安。侵略者提出 “天津城二十华里内不准驻扎中国军队” 。但是,巡警不在此列。于是袁世凯在接受天津之前,便于清光绪二十八年(1902)五月,在保定创设了警务总局和巡警学堂,开始训练巡警,为接管天津作了准备。
        光绪二十八年七月十二日 (1902年8月15日),袁世凯接管天津后,当即把从保定带来的2000多名巡警和“都统衙门”原设的1000余名华捕,合并成立了天津巡警总局。这是中国最早的近代警察机构。
        光绪二十八年(1902)九月二十日,天津警务学堂成立,举行开学典礼。袁世凯派员诣堂点名。首期招生260人。转年,将保定巡警学堂并入,更名北洋巡警学堂。后以培养警官为目的,又改名为北洋巡警高等学堂。校址在堤头村,光绪三十一年(1905)九月,迁至南斜街。宣统三年(1911)春停办。
        开始,巡警总局内外机构比较简单,其管辖范围也只限于北运河以南的城厢及附近地区。不久,袁世凯为扩大管理范围,又成立了天津北段巡警总局,主要管辖金钟河以北地区,北段总局设在贾家口。原天津巡警总局改称天津南段巡警总局,南段总局设在南斜街。光绪三十年(1904)九月,经袁世凯奏请,清政府成立了巡警部,袁世凯推荐其亲信赵秉钧任右侍郎; 南段巡警总办遂改由段芝贵继任; 北段巡警总办改由刘金标充任。同年十一月,又成立了四乡海河巡警总局,管辖天津周围四乡及海河一带。是时,天津的巡警便形成了南段、北段和四乡海河“三足鼎立”的格局。
        是时,北京前门车站发生了革命党人吴樾,炸伤清廷出洋考察五大臣事件,为了加强铁路防范,袁世凯遂由天津南段巡警总局挑选1000余名官警,开办了京榆铁路警察。

        

·天津南段巡警总局现行章程(1905年)

        光绪三十二年(1906),原直属于直隶总督衙门的工程局和捐务局的全部,以及卫生局的部分机构,并入巡警总局。巡警总局权力扩大,承担了治安、捐务、工程、监督卫生等事务。
        光绪三十四年(1908),清政府民政部奏拟承认巡警道官制,将所有省原设巡警等局归并办理,专营全省巡警、消防、户籍、营缮、卫生事务,光绪皇帝很快批准了这个奏议。宣统二年(1910),四月,直隶巡警道在天津成立。首任道员为舒鸿贻。同时,将天津南、北两段巡警总局合并,改称直隶全省警务公所。将原南、北两段辖区改为东、南、西、北、中五大区,下设29个分区,原天津四乡海河巡警总局从南段巡警总局分离。翌年,南、北两段复分,南段巡警总局隶属于巡警道; 北段巡警总局隶属于新练军,仅辖西、北2区; 四乡海河巡警总局又附辖于南段巡警总局。舒鸿贻任直隶巡警道道员,一年后,先后改由田文烈、言敦源、罗开榜等人继任。
        After the allied forces of eight powers occupied Tianjin,they set up a patrol bureau in Dutong Yamen. Theinvaders proposed that "no Chinese army,except patrol,was stationed in the area of 20 miles away from TianjinCity". Before the takeover of Tianjin,Yuan Shikai set upPolice Bureau and Police School in 1902.
        On August 15,Yuan Shikai set up Tianjin PoliceGeneral Bureau by combining 2000 policemen fromBaoding and Dutong Yamen`s 1000 Chinese patrols. Thiswas the first police organization in China.
        On September 20,1902,Tianjin Police Schoolheld an opening ceremony. Yuan Shikai sent hisrepresentative to make a speech. The size of the firstenrollment was 260 students. In 1903,Baoding PoliceSchool was merged into the new school as the NorthernPolice School. Later,it changed name to Northern PoliceUniversity because it focused on training police officers.The school was located at Titou Village and moved toNanxie Street in September,1905. In 1911,it stoppedoperation.
        In the beginning,the organization of the GeneralBureau was quite simple,which governed the downtownarea to the north of North Canal and its nearby places.Then Yuan Shikai enlarged its areas. The police bureauwas divided into south part at Nanxie Street and northpart at Jiajiakou,which were in charge of the areasto the south and north of Jingang Bridge separately.In September,1904,the Qing Government set up thePolice Ministry. Recommended by Yuan Shikai,ZhaoBingjun became the first minister. Duan Guizhi and LiuJinbiao were promoted to the head of south and northpolice bureaus separately. In November,Police Bureauof Sixiang and Haihe River was set up to administratethe areas of Sixiang and Haihe River. By far,Tianjin hadthree police bureaus.
        At Qianmen Railway Station in Beijing,fiveministers who were sent to abroad for visit were bombedby revolutionist Wu Yue. To strengthen the safety ofrailways,Li Hongzhang chose 1000 policemen from theSouth Police General Bureau to form the Jingyu RailwayPolice Bureau.
        In 1906,the Engineering Bureau,Donation Bureauand part of Health Bureau were merged into PoliceGeneral Bureau,the power of which was enlarged tosocial security,tax,engineering and health supervision.
        In 1908,the Civil Administration Departmentapplied for Emperor Guangxu to approve that all thelocal police bureaus combine into one and take thecharge of police,fire control,household registration,construction,and health. Guangxu approved it as soon aspossible. In April,1910,Zhili Police Dao was set up inTianjin. The first Daoyuan (the head) was Shu Hongyi.His successors were Tian Wenlie,Yan Dunyuan,LuoKaibang,etc. North and south police bureaus joinedtogether and changed the name to Zhili Provincial PoliceGeneral. The previous south-north division changed toeast,west,south,north,middle areas,which were furtherdivided into 29 sub-areas. Police Bureau of Sixiang &Haihe River was separated from South Police GeneralBureau. In 1911,the division of south and north wasadopted again. South Bureau belonged to Zhili PoliceDao; the north one,New army,which only patrollingwest and north areas. Police Bureau of Sixiang & HaiheRiver belonged to South Police General Bureau again.

        

·清光绪三十三年(1907),天津南段巡警总局总办申雅甫
        (前排穿满服者)召集各局区警官会议