A former Dunedin man has been provisionally appointed district commander of the Southern police district.
Inspector Robert (Bob) Burns, the area commander for Taupo, will take up his post in Dunedin early next year, a police spokeswoman confirmed yesterday.
Once Insp Burns (50) is confirmed in the position following a short provisional period, he will take the rank of Superintendent.
He replaces Supt George Fraser, who was recently appointed as Auckland City's district commander.
It is understood Det Supt Malcolm Burgess will remain the acting Southern district commander until Insp Burns takes over.
Insp Burns joined the police in 1981.
He spent his initial five years' service as a constable in Dunedin with relieving periods in Mosgiel, Ranfurly, Balclutha, Alexandra and Port Chalmers.
He transferred to Wellington in 1986 as a sergeant and moved to Wanganui in the late 1980s.
He was promoted to senior sergeant in 1992 and transferred to Nelson in 1999, relieving as the Nelson Bays area commander while there.
In both police areas he was involved in community policing and in charge of the areas' armed offenders squads.
In 2004, he was promoted to inspector and appointed as the Taupo area commander.
While in that job, he also completed a 10-month second-ment as Western Bay of Plenty-Tauranga area commander before returning to Taupo.
Insp Burns attended The Taieri High School in Mosgiel and worked with a local land surveying and town planning firm before joining the police.
It is understood police will make an official announcement about the appointment today.
