About 200 officers are on 11 inquiries

The recent deaths of Graham and Carol Fisher, near Wadebridge, Cornwall, and Joan Roddam at West Downs, near Delabole, also in Cornwall, has put the force command centre on "platinum level" for the first time - its highest for day-to-day operational command.

The police authority says the situation is being contained within its budget, though there has been some re-allocation of resources.

The force hopes to contain costs within budget, but it has forecast that council tax will have to rise in order to maintain current policing levels.

We're perfectly capable of resourcing for all these inquiries Deputy Chief Constable Nigel Arnold

About 200 officers are working directly on the 11 inquiries.

As well as the murders in Cornwall, officers are still following up leads in the murder of Florence Seccombe in Plymouth in October.

In an attempt to meet the demand, some training courses for the force have been cancelled, but community policing remains unaffected.

Police Authority chairman Jill Owen said: "It's good to hear that, at least for the time being, this is happening.

"I do think that, particularly in cases like we have had over the last few days, community policing becomes more important."

Reassure public

She added: "If there is any community intelligence out there, it could be the beat managers that pick it up."

Senior officers have also moved to reassure the public about their safety.

They say no local police commander is expected to cope with a major incident on their own and they are given the resources they require while balancing the need to maintain 24-hour local policing.

Deputy Chief Constable Nigel Arnold said: "All the murder inquires will be resourced according to their need.

"We want to reassure the people in Devon and Cornwall that we are a big organisation and we're perfectly capable of resourcing for all these inquiries and at the same time we can continue to deliver high-visibility policing."