秦、漢時期的「亭」，是今日警察派出所之起源。然考其源頭，卻是出自於先秦時期軍事防禦系統的「邊亭」或「燧亭」。自商鞅變法後，秦設立了郡、縣制度，使「亭」的功能更加擴大，由原先的「軍事亭」、「驛站」、「郵亭」等性質，再行轉換成為「治安亭」。儘管如此，「亭」在先秦時期所具備的各項職能，於秦、漢以後依然被繼續保留，使「亭」於郡、縣體制下，反而更扮演著極為重要的輔助政令推行，及維繫天下安定的重要機構。秦、漢時期「亭」站的設置，是以「十亭一鄉」及「十里一亭」為考量，但這僅是個理想的設置標準，設置時仍需依據人口的稠密度、山川地勢的險峻度、治安的良窳程度等，以考量設置的間距，及亭站的建築規模大小。因秦、漢時期，「亭」除了是維繫當地治安的重要機構外，「亭」還是重要的路標，也肩負著檢查往來行旅、提供官吏食宿、負責郵書傳遞、調解百姓糾紛，及傳達政令等勤務工作的重要樞紐點。值得一提的是，秦、漢時期「亭」雖設置在鄉里間，其行政歸屬雖是在「鄉」之下，但其專業培訓卻是由郡的「都尉」負責，由縣府負責遴選。

Tings were the primate organizations of the police stations in the Qin and Han Dynasty. It originated from the military defense systems of Pre-Qin, it was called ＂bing ting＂ or ＂sui ting＂. After Shang Yang's political reforms, Qin Shi Huang established prefecture county systems, and police stations expanded their functions. The ancient ting's were military camps, horse stations, and police stations. In the Qin Dynasty, the ting's function had transformed into police service. The Qin and Han dynasty still kept tings' functions as before. The ting was managed by the county, but the ting played an important role on launching publicity campaigns and protecting public security. In the Qin and Han dynasty, ten tings for one village and ten kilometers for one ting. These were the reasonable figures. Not all tings followed these rules, it should depend on geographic situation and the circumstance of public security. How far should it build? The government should take the distance into account. The tings were not only the important organizations to maintain public security, but also the landmark of the county. Tings also provided accommodation for the government officers; helping deliver mails; and mediating villagers' disputes and launching political campaigns. Although ting was established in the village, but police officers' training was performed by the army. The village government took charge of recruiting new officers, but they were supervised by the county government and trained by the county's army.