The chief constable of South Yorkshire Police, David Crompton, has been suspended over his response to Hillsborough.
Dr Alan Billings, the area's police and crime commissioner, said he had no other choice given the "erosion of public trust and confidence".
The statement said: "I have been left with no choice but to suspend David as chief constable of South Yorkshire Police.
"I reached this decision with a heavy heart after discussions with David.
"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.
"It is with immediate effect."
The move comes after the Hillsborough inquest jury found that 96 Liverpool fans had been unlawfully killed.
It said blunders by South Yorkshire's police and ambulance services "caused or contributed to" the deaths as a result of the disaster at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final.
The jury also concluded that Liverpool fans were not to blame for what happened.
Mr Crompton later admitted the force got the policing of the match "catastrophically wrong" and "unequivocally" accepted the jury's conclusions.
Labour's shadow home secretary, Andy Burnham, is among those who had called on Mr Crompton to stand down.
Speaking in the Commons, he also called for all those responsible to be held to account for the 96 unlawful deaths and a "27-year cover-up".
Home Secretary Theresa May told MPs the families of the Hillsborough victms will continue to receive legal aid as they pursue further action over the tragedy, saying it was "not the end of the process".
Two investigations into the tragedy are under way - one a criminal probe into the deaths called Operation Resolve. The other inquiry is being carried out by the Police Complaints Commission.
A decision on whether to bring prosecutions will be taken once investigators have handed in their reports, in three to six months' time.
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