An extra constable would join two constables and a sergeant in the Otago coastal family violence team, Southern district commander Superintendent Andrew Coster said.
The CIB had also been restructured.
The Otago coastal area, which covers all of East and South Otago, as well as Omarama and Kurow, would not gain any more frontline staff, but there had been a change of focus, Supt Coster said.
''We have identified family violence as a really key focus area for us.
''If you look at what drives a lot of crime in the community and lots of crime in other areas, it starts in the home.''
It has been estimated that family violence costs every New Zealand resident more than $1800 a year.
Constable Kristyn Adamson, a member of the family violence team, told the Otago Daily Times in December the team dealt with 15 to 20 family incidents a weekend, and that number climbed during holidays and other stressful times.
Supt Coster said the increased reporting of family violence and a desire to tackle the problem had led to the change.
''Depending on what research you look at, as little as 20% of family violence is reported to police,'' he said.
The addition of staff would mean police ''see more of the family violence picture than we have in the past''.
It was also what drove the centralisation of CIB staff.
Mosgiel's five-strong CIB team would be disestablished, with the supervisor, detective, inquiry constable and constable prison liaison positions moving to Dunedin Central station and a supporting constable joining frontline staff at Mosgiel station.
An additional detective would also join Oamaru CIB after an increase in serious crime reported in the area.
''The focus of these changes is about getting the right people working on the right things at the right time,'' Supt Coster said.
The changes were not in response to ''any big problems'' and were a ''subtle rebalancing'' of resources.
''There's just an opportunity to address resourcing of areas such as family violence, child abuse and adult sexual assault,'' he said.
The number of reported sexual assaults and related offences in the Southern district rose 44% to 355 last year from 246 in 2013, Statistics New Zealand data shows.
The Oamaru detective's position would likely be filled from within Oamaru station and the furthest staff would be expected to move was from Mosgiel to Dunedin Central, he said.
Resourcing in other community stations would remain the same, with the restructuring having no effect on Balclutha, Middlemarch, Waikouaiti or other communities in the area.
The restructuring also tied into police's vision of less emphasis on ''bricks and mortar'' policing.
''Ideally, where police would like to get to is where we are out in our community as much as possible and face-to-face with people where they are and addressing issues where they are,'' Supt Coster said.
Increased telephone reporting reduced the paperwork toll on frontline officers and increased use of technology created a more efficient frontline force, he said.
Otago coastal area is commanded by Inspector Jason Guthrie and headquartered at Dunedin Central station.
The changes will be completed by June 29.
