Sir Norman quit move welcomed (From Keighley News)

Sir Norman quit move welcomed

11:00am Friday 2nd November 2012 in Keighley

Local MPs have welcomed the decision of West Yorkshire’s under-fire Chief Constable Sir Norman Bettison to resign amid allegations over his behaviour following the Hillsborough disaster.

Sir Norman tendered his resignation at a special meeting of West Yorkshire Police Authority after a growing clamour for him to step down earlier than his announced retirement in March.

He is under investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission for his actions following the Hillsborough tragedy in 1989, when he was an officer with the South Yorkshire force.

Keighley MP Kris Hopkins said: “Sir Norman's position has been untenable for some time and it became a question of whether he jumped before he was pushed.

“His insistence on staying in post has damaged the proud name of West Yorkshire Police, and that should be a matter of deep regret to him. I now look forward to the outcome of the ongoing Independent Police Complaints Commission investigation.”

Shipley MP Philip Davies, whose constituency includes Cullingworth and Denholme, said: “As it happens I always got along well with Norman Bettison and I thought he did an excellent job as Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police.

“When it has come to the point he has lost the confidence of the people at the police authority and the police force itself, the position becomes untenable and he had no alternative in the end.

“Time will tell about what happened at Hillsborough and that information will come about in the future. Speaking separately with that aside, it would be unfair to say anything but that he did an excellent job as Chief Constable of West Yorkshire.”

West Yorkshire Deputy Chief Constable John Parkinson will take up the role of acting Chief Constable.