Sir norman bettison biography

Earlier this month, he said he planned to retire in March and hoped his decision would "enable the Independent Police Complaints Commission to fully investigate allegations that have been raised about my integrity". Rotherham-born Sir Norman started his career as a year-old cadet with South Yorkshire Police and rose through the ranks. In he was appointed assistant chief constable of West Yorkshire Police.

His career has spanned 39 years of policing taking in three forces West and South Yorkshire and Merseyside and a number of national responsibilities. Inhe left West Yorkshire Police to become the chief constable of the Merseyside force - a move that was vehemently opposed by a number of families of those who died at Hillsborough. He later left Merseyside Police and in became the chief executive of Centrex, an organisation providing support and training to police forces and overseas law enforcement agencies.

Margaret Aspinall, chairwoman of the Hillsborough Families Support Group, said: "I'm absolutely delighted he's gone but as far as I am concerned he should have been sacked. West Yorkshire Police Authority said media attention and the investigations by the IPCC were "proving to be a huge distraction for the force". Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson: "Most people will find it offensive that he will continue to receive a huge pension whilst this investigation continues".

Sir Norman has been referred to the IPCC over allegations he provided misleading information after the disaster, in which 96 Liverpool fans died. Last month, a report by the Independent Hillsborough Panelexternal revealed police statements by South Yorkshire Police were altered - of them to remove or change negative comments about the policing of the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at the Sheffield stadium.

Later that same day, Norman Bettison was referred to the West Yorkshire Police Authority, over his role and post-disaster conduct at the Hillsborough disaster. On 23 OctoberNorman Bettison resigned with immediate effect as Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police, after Maria Eagle MP on the floor of the House and thus protected by Parliamentary privilege, accused him of boasting about the Hillsborough cover-up operation involving concocting a story that all the Liverpool fans were drunk and that police were afraid that they were going to break down the gates and so decided to open them.

Norman Bettison denied the claim, and more general allegations about his conduct, saying "there is nothing I'm ashamed of". Norman Bettison is to be investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission over allegations that he was involved in the theft of a substantial sir norman bettison biography of precious metal on 11 August Liverpool John Moores University came under pressure to rescind Norman Bettison's fellowship, following the publication of the report of the Hillsborough Independent Panel.

Norman Bettison was awarded the Honorary degree of Doctor of the University by the University of Huddersfield in In this document, Bettison wrote:. This conclusion was also drawn by the Coroner who directed the inquest jury that the senior officers had not been aware of diversions from the tunnel by police officers in Internal documents later released by South Yorkshire Police to the Hillsborough Independent Panel included the minutes of a meeting held on 17 April with senior members of South Yorkshire Police.

Sir norman bettison biography: Rotherham-born Sir Norman started

It is not clear whether Bettison was in attendance. In the meeting, the then Chief Constable is documented to have stated:. On 12 September Bettison's role in the Hillsborough disaster was revealed by the Hillsborough Independent Panel report. Families of the victims demanded Bettison's resignation. In response to the report, Bettison released a statement saying that his role was never to "besmirch" the fans, but said that Liverpool fans' behaviour that day made policing the event "harder than it needed to be.

The IPCC later criticised Bettison's statement saying that it was "insensitive and inappropriate to make reference to fan behaviour at all, bearing in mind that publication of the report represented a vindication for the fans that their behaviour was not a factor," and that his "unwise" comments "flew in the face of the report's definitive findings".

Sir norman bettison biography: Sir Norman Bettison was

Trevor Hicks, chair of the families support group, said; "Sir Norman Bettison, currently chief constable of West Yorkshire police and a former chief constable of Merseyside, should quit. As a South Yorkshire chief inspector and later superintendent, he was a member of the internal review group or liaison unit on Hillsborough and, as such, the families say he had a key role in presenting the police in the best light and blaming the fans for the disaster.

Labour MP Maria Eagle told parliament: the "liaison unit orchestrated what can only be described as a black propaganda campaign. Hicks, who lost his two teenage daughters in the disaster, said: "If he is anything of a man, he will stand down and scurry up a drainpipe somewhere.

Sir norman bettison biography: Sir Norman George Bettison, QPM

On 13 September former Home Secretary Jack Straw said in a radio interview that Bettison was "bound to be considering his position". He added that in his experience Bettison was a fine police officer. He was quoted as saying "I really welcome the disclosure of all facts that can be known about the Hillsborough tragedy because I have absolutely nothing to hide.

On 14 September, Bettison issued an apology for his statement issued on 13 September "for any upset caused by a statement he issued about his role in the Hillsborough tragedy. On 28 Junehe was charged with offences related to alleged lies in the aftermath. At the start of October he announced that he was to retire in Marchending 38 years of service to the police.

Hillsborough families called for the payments to be frozen during the IPCC investigation. Following a Freedom of Information request, the minutes of West Yorkshire Police Authority were released and they revealed that Bettison resigned after learning that "he faced possible dismissal over a last minute discussion with a police authority executive in which he allegedly sought to influence talks about his role in the Hillsborough scandal.

Bettison is also to be investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission over allegations that he was involved in the theft of a substantial quantity of precious metal on 11 August Three documents were found, about which Burns-Williamson said:. Liverpool John Moores University came under pressure to rescind Bettison's fellowship, following the publication of the report of the Hillsborough Independent Panel.

The University responded that the requests were being treated with the 'utmost seriousness' but that it would be 'prejudicial' to IPCC investigation to make a decision before the outcome of that investigation was known. Contents move to sidebar hide. Article Talk. Read Edit View history. Tools Tools. Download as PDF Printable version.

In other projects. Wikidata item. Former police officer. RotherhamWest Riding of YorkshireEngland. Early life [ edit ].