Central Otago police will have several new changes over the coming months, as some officers move onto different positions.

New Sergeant Darren Kidd has relocated from Cromwell Police to Alexandra, closer to his home in Clyde.

Sgt Kidd comes from Invercargill where he spent 11 years on the front line, before moving to Central Otago with his young family five years ago.

He said working in a metropolitan area was vastly different to rural policing, but at the end of the day, everyone wanted the same outcome.

“Policing is a thinking person’s game. Your thought processes have to be sound because your decisions affect others.”

Working in a Central Otago town also meant you were often policing 24/7, being so easily identifiable in a small community.

Stepping into a new sergeant’s position meant he was now in a supervisory role at Alexandra Police, under Senior Sergeant Clint Wright.

“The team here are all pretty experienced and know how to make good decisions,” he said.

When he’s not working, Sgt Kidd said he enjoys tinkering with old motorbikes and cars, as well as playing basketball and cricket.

Three new Alexandra police officers will also start in coming weeks to fill the positions left by the other officers.