Inspector Alastair Dickie, of Dunedin, will begin in the role of Clutha-Taieri area response manager on March 31, at the rank of senior sergeant.
The role oversees policing in the Clutha-Taieri sub-area, and fills the vacancy left by former Senior Sergeant Richard Whitmore's transfer to Clinton, where he is now a senior constable at the sole-charge station.
Insp Dickie (56) is the district operations manager, based in Dunedin.
In a statement issued yesterday, Southern district commander Superintendent Andrew Coster said Insp Dickie's focus will be continuing ''Prevention First'' and policing excellence initiatives and working in partnership with support agencies.
Insp Dickie, who has been in the police for 36 years, the last seven as an inspector, said he had fond memories of his early policing years in rural areas.
He viewed his vacated position as an opportunity for a younger police staff member to develop further in their career, he said.
He and his family would live on the Taieri and he would balance his time across his area of responsibility.
The Otago Daily Times understands he will spend three days in Balclutha and two in Mosgiel.
Insp Dickie joined the police in 1978, spending his first year in Dunedin before transferring to Balclutha in 1979.
He worked in Balclutha for eight and a-half years until he moved to Christchurch in 1987.
He returned to Balclutha in 1993 to a newly created sergeant position before being promoted to senior sergeant and Clutha sub-area controller in 1994.
In January 2004, he transferred to Mosgiel in the position of Mosgiel sub-area controller, becoming the Dunedin-based emergency response commander in 2007.
Clutha Mayor Bryan Cadogan said it was good to see an ''old friend'' coming back to the district's top policing job.
• Sergeant Craig Dinnissen, of Balclutha, will continue as acting senior sergeant until he goes on leave from the end of next week.
Senior Sergeant Bruce Ross, usually based at Dunedin Central, will be relieving for three weeks, with Sergeant Ian Martin, from Southland, acting senior sergeant for the remaining week.
