Changes are already happening to prepare for the shift in cases in advance of the eventual breakup of St. Joseph County Metro Homicide.

Last month the Metro Homicide Unit said it would disband at the end of the year, and the South Bend Tribune reports that the unit is no longer taking on new cases. They will instead focus on roughly 25 active cases, according to County Prosecutor Ken Cotter.

This is having an impact on how local police departments investigate homicides and other major crimes. The county’s Special Victims Units also said they were disbanding at the end of the year, and in both cases Mayor Mueller said a question of manpower is behind the decision to pull South Bend officers from the two units.