Police Ten 7's Rob Lemoto starts new role at Pāpāmoa in Bay of Plenty

Detective Sergeant Rob Lemoto has a new role in Tauranga. Photo / Andrew Warner

Police Ten 7 host Detective Sergeant Rob Lemoto has started a new role as the officer in charge of Pāpāmoa Police Station.

Lemoto was attached to the Child Protection Team in the Bay of Plenty before the move.

The role is a 12-month secondment supervising public safety teams, community and youth services at Pāpāmoa, which is now a 24-hour station.

Lemoto expects to be kept busy in the fast-growing community but is "very excited" about the new role, a police spokeswoman said.

Lemoto was named as the host of the crime television show Police Ten 7 in 2014, replacing former Rotorua cop Graham Bell, who had been at the helm for 12 years.

Lemoto has worked in a variety of policing roles, from iwi liaison and community constable in Te Puke to serving as a member of the Armed Offenders Squad.

Pāpāmoa is one of Tauranga's largest and fastest-growing suburbs. Photo / George Novak

He also went to Bougainville for seven months in a secondment as part of the NZ Police Mentoring Programme.

He grew up in South Auckland, where there was a gang element in his neighbourhood. Seeing police hold them to account inspired him to join the force at age 21.

Pāpāmoa is one of Tauranga's largest and fastest-growing suburbs and is located about 11km east of the city centre.

It is bordered to the west by Arataki and Mount Maunganui and to the east by the Kaituna River, which separates it from the Western Bay of Plenty District.