軍統局的前身是三民主義力行社特務處，它的成立與1931年12月蔣中正第二次下野有直接關係。蔣中正認為「無幹部、無組織、無情報」是造成他下野的原因，所以蔣中正復出政壇後即於1932年2月29日成立三民主義力行社，並在該社內設立特務處，以解決「無情報」的困境。對蔣中正而言，此時的戴笠只是個情報幹部，並非他滿意的情報領柚人才，一開始是以「試用看看」的態度派戴笠主持特務處。特務處剛成立時的人員編制與經費有限，戴笠在這種情況下仍然試圖在全國廣設情報據點，要求情報人員注意有關黨、軍、政、學、工、商等各階層的一切活動。戴笠對情報人員的工作規範也相當嚴格，要求工作態度要具有積極性以及呈報情報要迅速與正確，同時也擬定工作人員信條來嚴格要求工作人員的紀律。戴笠曾以「秉承領袖意旨，體念領袖苦心」來說明軍統局的情報工作，由戴笠開創特務處的組織過程，可知他完全具有這些特質，顯示戴笠不僅有「特工天賦」，也有政治頭腦，因此一開始他會受到蔣中正的青睞。但是由1940年戴笠呈給蔣中正的情報人員撫卹名單突顯出戰前特務處的問題，即戴笠嚴厲要求積極工作的情形下，超時的工作負擔與長期性的軍事化管理造成業務繁重，因此積勞病故者過多。同時特務處的嚴格信條也未發揮應有的效用，違犯紀律而遭情報機構制裁的殉法者亦不少。

Chiang Kai-shek pointed out there're lacking of capable subordinates, efficient organized system and intelligence to make him step down from office the 2nd time in 1931. As acquiring the power again, Chiang established Office of Secret Services (Teuchu) in the Society of Practice of the Three Principles of the People (as the so-called Blue Shirts Society) to solve his ”lacking of intelligence” problem on Feb. 29 of 1932. The Office of Secret Services was the predecessor of Bureau of Investigation and Statistics (Juntong). Chiang might not make sure that Dai Li could do a good job or not at that moment, so he offered only limited resources of staff and budget.Dai, however, tried to build the network of intelligence, and to require his staff to do the best they could, so made the staff infiltrate the majority of the Kuomintang units, the government offices, the Army, and private organizations by degrees. Dai also asked himself and his staff to be absolutely loyal to Chiang. For these reasons, Dai showed that he was not only a talent person about intelligence but also with a clear political sense, so he could obtain Chiang's great appreciation quickly.According to the list of being consoled and compensated in 1940, it was clear that there were certain problems in the practice of Office of Secret Services even for latter Juntong. These problems included heavy work and severe military management for members, and made his staff sick or die of heavy duty. However, some of them were died for being accused of undisciplined, so Dai's creed might not be work somehow.