An inquiry into how the Soham child murderer, Ian Huntley, was given a job as a school caretaker has identified a series of intelligence failings by police.
Sir Michael Bichard, who carried out the inquiry, said the Chief Constable of Humberside police, David Westwood, should take personal responsibility for the errors his force made in checking Huntley's background.
The force deleted records of nine sex allegations made against Huntley.
Meanwhile, British Home Secretary David Blunkett said he had told the Humberside Police Authority to suspend Chief Constable Westwood immediately in the wake of the Bichard report.
Earlier, the senior officer insisted he would not be resigning from his post. He said he would remain in his role to fulfil a promise to the parents of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman to put things right.
The ten-year-old schoolgirls were murdered by Huntley in Cambridgeshire in August 2002.
The Cambridgeshire police force also came in for criticism, with Sir Michael saying its failings were serious.
The inquiry's report makes urgent and long-term recommendations for the systems designed to protect children and vulnerable adults.
