A Smart Police Station Management Model for Smart Cities

Abstract

This article aimed to: (1) examine the current conditions, problems, and needs in police station management for supporting smart cities; (2) develop a smart police station management model aligned with the Thai social context; and (3) propose guidelines for enhancing the digital competencies of police officers. The study employed a documentary synthesis approach, integrating concepts of digital-era management with an analysis of organizational authority structures based on Royal Thai Police regulations, as well as content analysis of relevant policy documents. The findings revealed that: (1) the current situation faced challenges related to a centralized and slow administrative structure, disparities in personnel digital skills, and vulnerabilities of data systems to cyber threats; (2) the appropriate smart police station management model was the “8S Smart Police Station Model,” which integrated eight components, namely smart human capital, infrastructure, service delivery, cybersecurity, risk communication, participation, flexible management, and sustainability; and (3) the development of digital competencies should have focused on creating “hybrid personnel” with expertise in both digital skills and criminological psychology, in order to shift from reactive to proactive operations through the use of virtual police station systems and big data management. These approaches aimed to enhance public safety in smart cities in a sustainable manner.