West Yorkshire's top policeman has denied officers will be taught about Sharia law as part of the latest counter-terrorism strategy.

A 40-page document, drawn up by the Association of Chief Police Officers, outlines plans for staff to take lessons in the Muslim faith and culture.

The leaked report led to claims that officers would be taught about the Koran and Sharia law - re-igniting the row, sparked by the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams, over demands to recognise Sharia law in the UK.

Shipley MP Philip Davies claimed the policy was "misguided and dangerous", but West Yorkshire Chief Constable Sir Norman Bettison, speaking in his role as ACPO lead on Prevent - which sets out the police response to the prevention of terrorism and violent extremism - said the issues were complex and included nationality, community and religious issues, which were interwoven.

Sir Norman said: "That is what we are trying to get across to officers in our training. The depth and complexity of Sharia law is not part of this training."

He said police worked closely with communities and added: "The majority of police training at the moment in this area is done in partnership with Muslim organisations.

"We are building on this basis of training and emphasising a basic principle of policing is officers work with, and should understand, the communities they are policing. The ACPO Prevent strategy recognises this in the context of non-Muslim officers working with Muslim communities."

Sir Norman said the ACPO strategy drew together the views of key partners across government and in communities.

They included recommendations from the Preventing Extremism Together working groups in 2005, workshops at the National Independent Advisory Groups conference last year and the findings of last year's Metropolitan Police Authority London Debate, to which more than 1,000 people contributed.

The Chief Constable said: "The police role in prevention of extremism should not be independent of others and will depend on successful partnerships."

He said the strategy remained in draft form but expected it to be adopted by chief officers after further feedback.