In his last week as head of West Yorkshire Police's Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, Detective Chief Superintendent Chris Gregg said the current trend for murderers and rapists to complain about their human rights being breached was one of the most difficult things for today's officers to deal with.

Det Chief Supt Gregg, who has investigated some of the most notorious crimes in the country, and is described by the force's chief constable Sir Norman Bettison as "one of the finest Detective Superintendents West Yorkshire has known", told of the frustration for the police.

He said: "As a police officer one of the most frustrating things is when killers who have shown not one ounce of compassion for their fellow human beings start trying to have the shield of human rights drawn around them. It is callous, heartless and deeply offensive."

Earlier this month lawyers for the former US Marine David Bieber, who murdered traffic officer Ian Broadhurst and tried to shoot two of his colleagues, argued his full life sentence breached his human rights.

And only last week the Yorkshire Post revealed that a convicted rapist who did not want to move back to his home town because he feared his string of offences could make him a target, was handed a house in another city because to not do so would have been an assault on his human rights.

Leeds Council was threatened with court action if it refused to house Michael Clark, who then murdered 14-year-old Zuzanna Zommer when her family moved in two doors away less than a year later.

Mr Gregg, who is leaving the Police Service to take up a senior position with LGC Forensics – one of the biggest forensic science service providers in the country – said: "David Bieber is one of the most dangerous criminals in this country and still poses a threat to those who have the responsibility of keeping him in prison. I honestly believe he will pose a threat for the rest of his life, even from his prison cell. He will stop at nothing to escape – I am convinced of that."

He added: "For hardened criminals to try to use this legislation as protection causes terrible offence to the families of victims who have suffered appalling and cruel deaths at the hands of those who are quick to talk about human rights but were so swift to take away the human rights of others."

His comments have been welcomed by politicians and fellow police officers.

Tom McGhie, chairman of the West Yorkshire Police Federation said: "It seems we are more concerned with the rights of the minority. What is more important – the rights of the law-abiding majority or the rights of murderers?

Shipley's Conservative MP Philip Davies has called for human rights legislation to be scrapped.

He said: "Humans rights legislation is fatally and fundamentally flawed and means police officers who are trying to keep the streets safe are doing so with one or two hands tied behind their back. We would do more to help police officers to do their jobs by repealing this legislation than anything else we could do."

Speaking about the many cases he has covered during his 33 years with West Yorkshire Police, Mr Gregg warned criminals that forensic advances meant thousands of historic crimes could be solved in the near future, bringing a knock on the door at any time.

Mr Gregg began his working life as a police constable on the Yorkshire Ripper inquiry before being quickly promoted to detective.

Under his stewardship HMET, has investigated the West Yorkshire end of the into the 7/7 bombings and the murder of Pc Sharon Beshenivsky to name just two.

He also led the West Yorkshire end of inquiries into serial killer Dr Harold Shipman, the murder of schoolgirl Leanne Tiernan, and the case of killer nurse Colin Norris.

One of the most satisfying moments of his career was when, three decades after starting as a rookie officer on the Ripper case, he was finally able to nail John Humble as the Ripper hoaxer.

In his tribute, Sir Norman said: "Last week at a dinner for senior investigators I presented Chris with a piece of crystal, inscribed with the words 'One of the finest Detective Superintendents West Yorkshire has known.'

"I don't use that phrase lightly as Chris stands alongside some of the great investigators that West Yorkshire Police has had. Hardly a week goes by when we don't have an interesting or complex case to investigate. In his years with the force, Chris has been involved in many of those and with all his experience and knowledge, he is going to be a hard act to follow."