Detective Superintendent Mike Pannett will take up the role of Southern district commander from January.
He is at present New Zealand Police liaison officer based in Washington DC with an area of responsibility covering North and South America.
Det Supt Pannett is a member of the International Chiefs of Police Committee on Terrorism, the International Policing Division Steering Committee and the Committee on Organised Crime.
He has been responsible for security co-ordination and planning of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games and was instrumental in the apprehension and return of murderer Phillip John Smith from Brazil last year.
He takes over from Assistant Commissioner Andrew Coster, who left the Southern district in September to work at police headquarters in Wellington.
Det Supt Pannett has spent 35 years with the police and has held a number of district and national leadership and operational roles, mainly in Northland and Wellington.
Acting Superintendent Jason Guthrie will continue to relieve in the role until Det Supt Pannett begins next year.
Det Supt Pannett was unavailable for comment yesterday.
