Eamonn Holmes has blasted Chief Inspector Mike Neville after he "implied that the police force is money grabbing" in a heated debate over police pay.
Police officers are paid at £36 thousand a year but research has found one in five officers plan to resign over pay.
Speaking on GB News Neville said: "You don't become a soldier, a nurse or a police officer to make money. You do it to do a service. That's what I've always believed.
"My whole family has always served in the armed forces or the police. My daughter is a nurse. My son is a teacher. You do these things for the good of the community. You've got enough money.
The debate over police pay got heated on the channel
GB News
"I don't believe any officer is missing meals and things like that. There's enough furlough, so enough for overtime. When you join the police, the pay isn't a secret. It's there. And you know what you're going to get.
"The trouble with the police these days is that they are recruiting the wrong sorts of people, students and the like. They're not recruiting as many armed forces as they used to do.
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"These are people who are committed to serving the community. And that's what you should do when you join the police. It's not a matter of money. You should have enough money to survive.
"Which I believe that amount of money is enough. Your commitment should be to the public, not yourself."
He argued that the police "commitment should be to the public, not yourself."
GB News
However, it seemed that GB News host Eamonn Holmes did not agree with this point of view. Responding to the Chief Inspector he said: "A lot of what you say makes sense, but a lot of what you say is just rubbish.
"Because I wouldn't do that job. To be faced with the dregs of society day after day, the worst face of society.
"People spitting in my face and insulting me, going to attack me and whatever. And you say that they're not recruiting enough ex-forces but that is probably because when people left the forces, they were being paid much more than they get when they join the police."
The Inspector responded: "The facts are you do it to serve your community. Whether people spit in your face or you grip them. Your job is to serve. And that's not a bad thing.
One in five officers plan to resign over pay in the next two years
PA"That's what we have turned into, a very selfish world where we're more concerned with ourselves than others"
GB News host Isabel Webster said: "Those are some pretty strong words.
"He is sort of implying that police officers that are thinking of quitting are almost mercenaries they are money grabbing and selfish.
"But the people are saying they skipping meals, they can't afford to live on it. And we all know how expensive the capital is to live in."
