Homicide detectives and Edmonton police have been working around the clock after 2011 ended with two more homicide cases.

Staff Sgt. Bill Clark said anyone who hadn't left town over the holidays were called in to work.

"In addition we've used resources from North division, detectives from there and downtown division detectives to assist with all these investigations," he explained.

There was a total number of 47 homicide cases in Edmonton in 2011.

Edmonton police chief Rod Knecht told CTV News in a year end interview that other police programs could suffer if the number of homicide cases continues to rise.

"There'll be some things that we may have to stop doing," he explained.

"We just won't have the resourcing to do some of those nice to do things and we'll have to focus on priorities depending on how the year shapes up."

Seven to 10 officers have been expected to join the homicide department this year.