New Zealand Police’s director of major operations has been provisionally appointed the new commander of the Eastern Police District.

The appointment of Joel Lamb was one of four district commanders announced on Tuesday.

It followed four assistant commissioner appointments announced last week.

The new assistant commissioners included the promotion of Superintendent Jeanette Park, the Eastern District commander since 2020.

Superintendent Lamb has policed in areas as diverse as Bay of Plenty (where he grew up), North Otago and Auckland, and is a former Southland Area Commander who relieved as the Southern District Commander.

He has also worked offshore in liaison roles and is expected to take up the new appointment in February, based in Hastings and covering a region from Central Hawke’s Bay to East Cape.