Former Met Police cop Anton Cave has told GB News that officers are “100 per cent” fearful of racism allegations and are therefore “hesitant” to make arrests.
It comes after the chair of the Metropolitan Police Federation (MPF) Rick Prior was suspended from his role following an interview he gave on GB News where he expressed similar sentiments.
Cave criticised the decision as he joined Martin Daubney on The People’s Channel, before backing up the claims.
“The reason I’m doing this [interview] is because what he said resonated with my lived experience”, he said.
Anton Cave has backed Rick Prior's claims
GB NEWS
“It’s not something I saw every day in the job, there were occasions where I saw stuff that resonated with what he said. I’ve got experience of that, but it’s not every day.
“It wasn’t the sole reason why I left the job. It was one of the reasons. But I definitely agree with what he said.”
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Anton Cave joined Martin Daubney on GB News
GB NEWS
He added: “It’s more of an issue now as you’ve got inexperienced police officers. They’ve sort of replaced the experienced ones and they’re in an environment where there’s sort of hypersensitivity towards racism within the job.
“I think that’s a big cause of hesitation. I did seven years, so in comparison to some guests, I don’t know everything there is to know about policing. I’ve just got a lived experience. I’m from a normal background. I did the job for a bit and then I came back out to building.
“I was going out and making arrests and I was quite good at that, but sometimes I put newer or less experienced officers in with me to go and make those arrest attempts.
“There were definitely some occasions where with some of those people who were a bit hesitant anyway, if you’re put in a bit of a spot with somebody and you’re in a public setting and accusations start getting thrown around, there is of course hesitation.
Met officers are worried about being seen as racist, according to Anton Cave
Getty“I keep an eye on things on the news and see one thing or another and this topic gets heightened.”
Prior, who was elected as the chair of the MPF in April, told GB News that officers “no longer call out bad behaviour for fear of upsetting certain elements of the community”.
He went on to claim the force’s leadership had been hampered by the “racism of low expectations”.
Prior has since been suspended from his role and is now under investigation by the Police Federation of England and Wales.
GB News understands that his remarks have been considered discriminator in nature and controversial, which could undermine the federation’s reputation.
