In February 1903 a proposal was placed before the Board of Commissioners to form a River Police Force comprising of an Inspector and three Constables. Yet it was not until December of that year that it was finally agreed to employ a Police Force on the River Tees, at a cost not to exceed £400 per annum. On the 18th January 1904 at the Middlesbrough Magistrates Court an Inspector and three Constables were sworn in and the new force was inaugurated. Their directive was "to uphold the law with the jurisdiction of the Tees Conservancy Commissioners".

This area extended for over 25 miles from the limit of the tidal flow at Farndean Side Ford above High Worsall, to approximately three miles beyond the breakwaters at the mouth of the river and include all havens, creeks, bays, cuts, canals, channels and water courses within those limits as far as the tide flowed and reflowed.

One can imagine this was quite a task for the infant force whose only means of transport was a rowing boat, which was built at the Commissioners' Graving Dock at South Bank for the princely sum of £20. This boat was used to inspect the river and to investigate crimes which had taken place within their jurisdiction and it is said that in the early days it was a common sight to see the River Police rowing boat going up or down river rowed by Constables with the Inspector at the Tiller.

The formation of the police force was successful in its main objective of reducing crime on the river and the recorded number of thefts from the river area did in fact decrease.