Southern District youth services co-ordinator Sergeant Tania Baron said the position had been trialled in other areas of New Zealand and was now being rolled out nationally, under the Government's Fresh Start programme.
Sixteen positions had been advertised in 15 stations throughout the country, with one allocated to Dunedin.
The case managers will work in a proactive, early intervention manner within the youth development and youth aid sections.
They will work holistically with children aged 8 to 13 and their families, who have come to police attention and are at risk of reoffending.
Risk factors will be assessed, and an intervention plan will be developed and implemented with the aim of reducing the likelihood of offending.
The initiative is designed to provide a proactive and preventive approach to youth offending, as traditionally youth aid officers focused their work on 14- to 17-year-olds, Sgt Baron said.
Dunedin-Clutha area commander Inspector Dave Campbell said family influences played a role in offender's behaviour and those targeted might have older siblings who were offending, or simply be "showing signs of going off the rails".
An extra staff member would boost the numbers working specifically with youth in Dunedin and Mosgiel to six.
Otago Youth Wellness Trust manager Barbara Payton said the case manager would "enhance what's already being done" and was pleased a role targeting a younger age group was being introduced.
However, she hoped there would be room to apply the role to a local, community-based, context, as opposed to having it run in a national manner.
Sgt Baron hoped the case manager would be in place by March.
