South Yorkshire's police chief was suspended today in a bid to restore confidence after an inquest found the force was partly responsible for Britain's 1989 Hillsborough football stadium disaster.
South Yorkshire's Police and Crime Commissioner Alan Billings, the elected official in charge of policing in the northern English region, said he had suspended David Crompton "based on the erosion of public trust and confidence".
"I have been left with no choice other than to suspend David from his duties as chief constable of South Yorkshire police," he said.
"I have reached this decision with a heavy heart following discussions with David both in the run-up to and following the delivery of the Hillsborough verdicts.
"My decision is based on the erosion of public trust and confidence referenced in statements and comments in the House of Commons this lunchtime, along with public calls for the chief constable's resignation from a number of quarters."
The inquest verdicts yesterday found that 96 Liverpool fans were unlawfully killed following a series of police errors at the Hillsborough stadium in Sheffield, South Yorkshire.
Opposition Labour home affairs spokesman Andy Burnham, a long-time campaigner for the disaster's victims, called for the chief constable's resignation in parliament earlier today.
He said the police could have apologised during the inquest.
"But they didn't and they put the families through hell once again," he said.
