八國聯(lián)軍侵占天津后，在 “都統(tǒng)衙門” 設(shè)立巡捕局，維持治安。侵略者提出 “天津城二十華里內(nèi)不準(zhǔn)駐扎中國軍隊” 。但是，巡警不在此列。于是袁世凱在接受天津之前，便于清光緒二十八年(1902)五月，在保定創(chuàng)設(shè)了警務(wù)總局和巡警學(xué)堂，開始訓(xùn)練巡警，為接管天津作了準(zhǔn)備。
光緒二十八年七月十二日 (1902年8月15日),袁世凱接管天津后，當(dāng)即把從保定帶來的2000多名巡警和“都統(tǒng)衙門”原設(shè)的1000余名華捕，合并成立了天津巡警總局。這是中國最早的近代警察機(jī)構(gòu)。
光緒二十八年(1902)九月二十日，天津警務(wù)學(xué)堂成立，舉行開學(xué)典禮。袁世凱派員詣堂點名。首期招生260人。轉(zhuǎn)年，將保定巡警學(xué)堂并入，更名北洋巡警學(xué)堂。后以培養(yǎng)警官為目的，又改名為北洋巡警高等學(xué)堂。校址在堤頭村，光緒三十一年(1905)九月，遷至南斜街。宣統(tǒng)三年(1911)春停辦。
開始，巡警總局內(nèi)外機(jī)構(gòu)比較簡單，其管轄范圍也只限于北運河以南的城廂及附近地區(qū)。不久，袁世凱為擴(kuò)大管理范圍，又成立了天津北段巡警總局，主要管轄金鐘河以北地區(qū)，北段總局設(shè)在賈家口。原天津巡警總局改稱天津南段巡警總局，南段總局設(shè)在南斜街。光緒三十年(1904)九月，經(jīng)袁世凱奏請，清政府成立了巡警部，袁世凱推薦其親信趙秉鈞任右侍郎； 南段巡警總辦遂改由段芝貴繼任； 北段巡警總辦改由劉金標(biāo)充任。同年十一月，又成立了四鄉(xiāng)海河巡警總局，管轄天津周圍四鄉(xiāng)及海河一帶。是時，天津的巡警便形成了南段、北段和四鄉(xiāng)海河“三足鼎立”的格局。
是時，北京前門車站發(fā)生了革命黨人吳樾，炸傷清廷出洋考察五大臣事件，為了加強(qiáng)鐵路防范，袁世凱遂由天津南段巡警總局挑選1000余名官警，開辦了京榆鐵路警察。

·天津南段巡警總局現(xiàn)行章程(1905年)

光緒三十二年(1906),原直屬于直隸總督衙門的工程局和捐務(wù)局的全部，以及衛(wèi)生局的部分機(jī)構(gòu)，并入巡警總局。巡警總局權(quán)力擴(kuò)大，承擔(dān)了治安、捐務(wù)、工程、監(jiān)督衛(wèi)生等事務(wù)。
光緒三十四年(1908),清政府民政部奏擬承認(rèn)巡警道官制，將所有省原設(shè)巡警等局歸并辦理，專營全省巡警、消防、戶籍、營繕、衛(wèi)生事務(wù)，光緒皇帝很快批準(zhǔn)了這個奏議。宣統(tǒng)二年(1910),四月，直隸巡警道在天津成立。首任道員為舒鴻貽。同時，將天津南、北兩段巡警總局合并，改稱直隸全省警務(wù)公所。將原南、北兩段轄區(qū)改為東、南、西、北、中五大區(qū)，下設(shè)29個分區(qū)，原天津四鄉(xiāng)海河巡警總局從南段巡警總局分離。翌年，南、北兩段復(fù)分，南段巡警總局隸屬于巡警道； 北段巡警總局隸屬于新練軍，僅轄西、北2區(qū)； 四鄉(xiāng)海河巡警總局又附轄于南段巡警總局。舒鴻貽任直隸巡警道道員，一年后，先后改由田文烈、言敦源、羅開榜等人繼任。
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.

·清光緒三十三年(1907),天津南段巡警總局總辦申雅甫
(前排穿滿服者)召集各局區(qū)警官會議