Police officers have been drafted in from across Scotland to assist with two high-profile Aberdeen investigations.
Bobbies have been bussed from Forfar, Dundee, Perth and Inverness to provide additional support to their Aberdeen colleagues.
Police were stretched to the limit last week, investigating the suspicious death of Polish man Wieslaw Koziolek, in Torry, while conducting the massive search for missing woman Kerri Ferris.
A police spokeswoman said being able to draft in officers from elsewhere was one of the benefits of the single police force.
She added: “The creation of Police Scotland has allowed us to develop a demand-led policing service that protects and enhances local policing for our communities.
“Aberdeen city division is currently dealing with two high-profile resource-intensive investigations and as such requested additional officers from within the north to assist for one day last week.
“Formerly, under legacy police force arrangements, long-running investigations or major events may have depleted local policing resources, whereas local communities and local officers can now draw on support from regional and national resource pools, ensuring local community policing is protected and enhanced.”
David Hamilton, the Scottish Police Federation’s northern area chairman, said: “Prior to Police Scotland that would have been difficult and unlikely to happen.
“It allows you to soak up the pressure in one part of the country with resources from another.”