Inquiries into killings are stretching Wellington detectives so much that delays in investigating new complaints are likely.
Most of the detectives in the Wellington CIB are working on three big cases.
The acting CIB head, Detective Senior Sergeant Simon Perry, said police were having problems coping with the workload.
But they were "managing,
as we always do".
Mr Perry is working on the investigation into the death of 68-year-old David Douglas, whose body was found in a Kilbirnie flat on Friday.
The Wellington CIB has 12 vacancies out of 38 possible positions - a result of last year's staffing crisis and recruit class cancellations in 1999.
Only eight of the rostered detectives are not working on death inquiries.
The Child Abuse Team is on standby to help, but Mr Perry said this would be a last resort.
Two new officers would ease the load when they arrived next week after completing detective training.
Service to the public was "obviously ... going to be affected. We're going to have to prioritise," Mr Perry said.
"We're really going to be dealing with immediate responses to crimes which are happening.
"Investigations as such, which are not a priority, are not going to be investigated."
Because staff levels are so low, the CIB night shift has been abandoned, and it is understood the late shift is also in jeopardy.
Police canvassed the Wellington City Council's Kotuku Flats in suburban Kilbirnie yesterday for clues to the death of Mr Douglas.
Blood was found in Mr Douglas' flat in Kemp St. Police said the flat had been disturbed.
Mr Douglas was assaulted days before he was found dead.
Mr Perry said pathologists were still examining Mr Douglas' body to see if injuries suffered in the attack caused his death.
Police were also looking into other offences in the area over the past few weeks.
Mr Perry said police wanted to hear from anyone who might have visited Mr Douglas in the last month, or anyone who saw people come and go from the flat.
- NZPA
