A Victoria Police spokeswoman confirmed that resources had been diverted from across the state. She insisted the redeployment of police would not compromise investigations, but conceded investigations were being delayed. "Victoria Police has had to prioritise its work and the royal commission is obviously a very important priority. The reality is this has had an impact, but investigation outcomes have not been compromised and it is only the timeliness in which they are completed that has been affected." Commissioner Margaret McMurdo who is leading the royal commission into police informers. The Landow taskforce now has more staff than Victoria Police’s family violence command, which has 85 personnel, and is close to the manpower deployed at counter-terrorism command, where 133 officers and public servants work.

A Victoria Police spokewoman said it has also deployed another 415 non-command level officers in family violence operations around the state, including 219 detectives working in front-line family violence investigative units, 46 specialised family violence court liaison officers and 31 staff in educational roles. Victoria Police's spending on the royal commission is only slightly less than its investment in the landmark Centre of Learning for Family Violence in Glen Waverley, or the construction of the new Colac police station - two of the largest contracts awarded in 2018. Despite the huge investment, Victoria Police has come under repeated criticism for prompting extensive delays and demanding statements and evidence it has been ordered to turn over to the commission be heavily redacted. This has disrupted the schedule of hearings and the cross-examination of witnesses. Three weeks ago, Victoria Police senior counsel Saul Holt, QC, was forced to explain the delays, after it was revealed cross-examinations were being hampered by documents arriving only hours before witnesses were due to take the stand, or in some cases after they had provided evidence. Mr Holt told the commission the force's tardiness was not intentional.

"It's not driven by any desire to slow the work of the royal commission," Mr Holt said. Saul Holt QC, pictured here in 2016. Credit:Tammy Law/Fairfax Media But with the royal commission set to run until July 2020, the force is expected to blow a substantial hole in its annual budget. Legal expenses have already skyrocketed on the back of fighting unsuccessful actions in the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and High Court in an attempt to suppress the identity of barrister Nicola Gobbo as a police informer. There are also numerous court cases under way by Ms Gobbo’s former clients who want to be released from prison, while the compensation payment for recently exonerated Faruk Orman is also expected to run into the millions of dollars.

The Office of Public Prosecutions has spent $800,000 on legal representation at the commission. The fees for hiring solicitors and barristers for Ms Gobbo, which is being picked up by the state government, is unknown. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video The Police Association has refused to disclose how much it spent on lawyers for Ms Gobbo’s former handlers or whether they would seek to recoup the money from the state government. "What’s been spent so far will just be a drop in the ocean compared to what this will all eventually cost," a source said. "The final bill will be extraordinary but the purpose is to see that nobody [in the police force] gets charged."