Superintendent Andy McGregor, the Bay of Plenty District Commander and former district commander for Canterbury, said it was an exciting prospect for the city.
Although it isn't a police initiative, it has the full backing of police.
"What this is doing is diverting people away from the justice system and not clogging up the courts," Mr McGregor said.
"In Christchurch they've had 800 go through and the success rate is between 75 and 85 per cent - those people are not reoffending."
The Community Justice Panel has been an idea in the pipeline for a long time, said Inspector Anaru Pewhairangi, district manager for community, Maori and youth. He said Maxine Rennie, who was on the Rotorua police Maori advisory board and a trustee of Rotorua Community Law Centre played "a pivotal part" in bringing the different parties together.
It was now up to the community to get on board, he said.
"This is for the community by the community."
Community Law Centre manager Ellie Herbert said there had been a good response so far.
"I think there's no doubt that it will work," she said.
"It offers a real opportunity. Once we lose our young people, and they feel outside the law, it's really hard to get them back."
Mr Pewhairangi said the panel had already received support from Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick, Sir Toby Curtis and Te Arawa Lakes Trust chairman Roku Mihinui.
• The public meetings are on Friday at 1pm and 7pm, in the Council Chambers. RSVP for catering purposes to reception@rdclc.co.nz or call (07) 348 8060 by Thursday. For more information call Mr Pewhairangi on (07) 213 1729 or Ms Herbert on (07) 348 8060.