Police chief apologises for comment on fans' behaviour at Hillsborough Sir Norman Bettison, now chief constable of West Yorkshire, worked on the police report for the Hillsborough disaster. The chief constable of West Yorkshire police has apologised for any upset caused by his statement that Liverpool fans' behaviour made policing at the Hillsborough tragedy "harder than it needed to be." Sir Norman Bettison said his aim was never to "besmirch" the fans and supporters were in no way to blame for the disaster. The chief constable said he was "deeply sorry that impression and slight has lingered for 23 years." In a statement released this afternoon, Bettison said: "Let me speak very clearly. The fans of Liverpool Football Club were in no way to blame for the disaster that unfolded at Hillsborough on 15 April 1989. I formed this clear view on hearing all the evidence that was presented at the Taylor inquiry, having sat through every day from its beginning, just four weeks after the tragedy, through to its conclusion.