The Metropolitan Police has been scolded for "tyrannical nonsense" after confirming that the officer who shot Chris Kaba in 2022 will now face a gross misconduct hearing - despite being cleared of murder.Following the officer's trial in October last year, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has determined there is sufficient evidence for a disciplinary panel to consider the case.FULL STORY HERE.
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00:00More MPs, of course, have been killed by terrorists.
00:02Yeah, absolutely right.
00:03But in other news, the Metropolitan Police armed officer cleared of murdering Chris Cabber
00:08should face a disciplinary hearing for gross misconduct where he could face the sack for using excessive force.
00:13The police watchdog has now decided.
00:16And reacting to this news, a colleague of the officer has said public safety will be put at risk because of the decision.
00:22And more and more, you know, high profile coppers are coming out to say similar, aren't they?
00:27They are. There's been a serious reaction to this today.
00:31We've also seen one of Sergeant Blake's colleagues, that is the man involved in the shooting of Chris Cabber,
00:39speaking anonymously, saying that this decision will mean fewer firearms officers on the street.
00:46So very nervy times for those in frontline policing there.
00:48Absolutely. Well, let's get more on this with Harry Miller, former police officer and founder of Fair Cop.
00:53Harry, thank you very much indeed.
00:56Mark Rowley is before the Board of Policing at the moment, I believe, may well be being asked about this issue.
01:05I mean, where do you stand on this?
01:06Were you surprised to hear, firstly, that he's going to have to go through this, this police officer?
01:12Absolutely. We have a double jeopardy situation with policing at the moment.
01:17If you're accused of something and it's possibly criminal, you have to go through that.
01:21If they fail to get you that way, then they go through professional standards, which is what poor Sergeant Blake is going through right now.
01:28And then if they fail to get you on that, they are still using this vetting thing.
01:34So if you've even been investigated for something, they can say, well, you've now failed your vetting and get rid of you that way.
01:41There are thousands and thousands of police officers who are being subject to this absolute tyrannical nonsense.
01:49And I really hope that Sir Mark Rowley addresses this because it needs addressing.
01:54Now, let's just get the facts on this straight.
01:56Sergeant Blake was put in a very, very difficult situation.
02:01He didn't have the luxury of going away and thinking about it for a long, long time.
02:06Chris Cabber was in a vehicle.
02:08He was using that vehicle as a dangerous, offensive weapon.
02:12Now, back in January, I was run over by a car going very, very slowly.
02:16And I tell you now, it hurts like hell.
02:19So when somebody is prepared to use a vehicle as a weapon, then it becomes a lethal weapon.
02:26So it's entirely wrong to say that Chris Cabber was not armed, that he didn't have a lethal weapon.
02:32He was driving a lethal weapon.
02:35And so Sergeant Blake had to make the decision in a split second, should I shoot or should I not shoot?
02:41And he chose to shoot.
02:43Interestingly, colleagues have come forward who were with him on the day and said they were within a head's breadth of pulling the trigger themselves.
02:51He's been through the courts.
02:54A jury has decided that his intentions were entirely honourable and noble.
03:00And therefore, I think the professional standards have no business whatsoever putting this poor man who is doing a duty on behalf of all of us through an intolerable situation.
03:11It has to stop. It has to stop now.
03:14And Harry, we're hearing a lot about how public safety is put at risk when there are fewer firearms officers.
03:20But there's also quite a significant risk also to the family members of these police officers, because as we saw with the case of Sergeant Blake, he was named.
03:30And so he became essentially a target, as did his family.
03:36No, that's absolutely right.
03:37And that's why in Northern Ireland, for instance, if you're an officer or you're a former officer of the police service of Northern Ireland, you're still allowed to carry a firearm, a sidearm with you, even in retirement.
03:49Because once you've been named, once people recognise you, you are a target.
03:54So the Met Police have done this to this good sergeant.
03:59They say that they understand how awful it is for him.
04:03Well, they do understand it.
04:04They simply don't care.
04:06That's the problem.
04:07And I don't know who it is they're trying to impress.
04:10Because if they're trying to instil confidence in the public, well, they are massively, massively failing in that.
04:17Because all normal people look and go, what the hell is going on?
04:21If they're trying to instil confidence in the police, they're failing because firearms officers and other officers will be thinking, I don't want to be put in this situation.
04:30What's the alternative?
04:31Do we want a situation where a police officer is so concerned about making the wrong decision or about making the right decision, but it being framed as the wrong decision that they refuse to pull the trigger?
04:44Absolutely.
04:45We don't want that situation.
04:46Yeah, it does feel as though sometimes that we back the wrong people in this country and make life very difficult for people who are trying to do an honest day's work.
04:56Harry, thank you very much indeed.
04:58And also that difference between how we all in the media and everywhere else weren't allowed to talk about Chris Cabber's background.
05:05Yeah.
05:05The allegations against him, criminal record, et cetera, et cetera.
05:09But then the police officer's name was allowed out there.
05:12But there you go.
05:13Harry Miller, that was.
05:14I remember reporting from that trial and the decision to release the information about Chris Cabber being a gangster.
05:20Harry was able to be released the next day.
05:22So we had a full evening.
05:23Everyone's saying this was a horrendous misjustice.
05:25And then bang, next day, oh, we regret to announce he was a gangster.
05:28Yeah, lovely guy.
05:29Well, this is Good Afternoon Britain on GV News.