Under the old imperial system there was no police force per se, charged with maintaining social order. There were only various types of ruffians and lackeys, who frequently repressed the people and served as the cat's-paws of corrupt and powerful officials. People assumed the newly formed police were going to be much of the same.
由於傳統王朝未有警察這樣專責社會秩序的機制，在建警之初，大家對警察的記憶，常停在古代的衙役、捕快，甚至東廠、錦衣衛等欺壓良民，為權奸鷹犬等恐怖的想像裡。