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| Utah Police Officer Is Fired for Handcuffing Nurse Who Defied Him | Utah Police Officer Is Fired for Handcuffing Nurse Who Defied Him |
| (about 13 hours later) | |
| The Salt Lake City Police Department has fired an officer who handcuffed and roughly detained a nurse for refusing to allow him to draw blood from a sedated patient. | The Salt Lake City Police Department has fired an officer who handcuffed and roughly detained a nurse for refusing to allow him to draw blood from a sedated patient. |
| A department spokesman, Sgt. Brandon Shearer, confirmed that the officer, Detective Jeff Payne — who had been on administrative leave since the episode, which was captured by police body camera, came to national attention over the summer — was fired on Tuesday. Detective Payne’s supervisor, Lt. James Tracy, was demoted to the rank of officer. | A department spokesman, Sgt. Brandon Shearer, confirmed that the officer, Detective Jeff Payne — who had been on administrative leave since the episode, which was captured by police body camera, came to national attention over the summer — was fired on Tuesday. Detective Payne’s supervisor, Lt. James Tracy, was demoted to the rank of officer. |
| In a disciplinary letter obtained by The Associated Press, the Salt Lake City police chief, Mike Brown, wrote that Detective Payne’s behavior was “inappropriate, unreasonable, unwarranted, discourteous, disrespectful,” and had caused “significant disrepute” for the department. | In a disciplinary letter obtained by The Associated Press, the Salt Lake City police chief, Mike Brown, wrote that Detective Payne’s behavior was “inappropriate, unreasonable, unwarranted, discourteous, disrespectful,” and had caused “significant disrepute” for the department. |
| “You demonstrated extremely poor professional judgment (especially for an officer with 27 years of experience), which calls into question your ability to effectively serve the public and the department,” he wrote. | “You demonstrated extremely poor professional judgment (especially for an officer with 27 years of experience), which calls into question your ability to effectively serve the public and the department,” he wrote. |
| In a similar letter to Officer Tracy, Chief Brown described a “lack of judgment and leadership” as evidenced by his order to detain the nurse, Alex Wubbels, without a full understanding of the situation. “As a result,” Chief Brown wrote, “I no longer believe that you can retain a leadership position in the department.” | In a similar letter to Officer Tracy, Chief Brown described a “lack of judgment and leadership” as evidenced by his order to detain the nurse, Alex Wubbels, without a full understanding of the situation. “As a result,” Chief Brown wrote, “I no longer believe that you can retain a leadership position in the department.” |
| Ed Brass, a lawyer for Officer Tracy, said in an email that he planned to appeal his demotion to the Salt Lake City Civil Service Commission. Detective Payne’s lawyer, Greg Skordas, said his client, too, would appeal. | |
| The confrontation on July 26 began when Ms. Wubbels refused to allow Detective Payne, as part of a car crash investigation, to draw blood from a sedated patient. She explained that the patient — who died two months later — was not under arrest and was unable to consent, and that the police had no warrant. Detective Payne accused her of interfering with a criminal investigation and threatened to arrest her if she did not comply. | The confrontation on July 26 began when Ms. Wubbels refused to allow Detective Payne, as part of a car crash investigation, to draw blood from a sedated patient. She explained that the patient — who died two months later — was not under arrest and was unable to consent, and that the police had no warrant. Detective Payne accused her of interfering with a criminal investigation and threatened to arrest her if she did not comply. |
| “I either go away with blood in vials or body in tow,” he said. “That’s my only two choices.” | “I either go away with blood in vials or body in tow,” he said. “That’s my only two choices.” |
| Ms. Wubbels’s supervisor, on speakerphone, backed her up and told Detective Payne that he was “making a huge mistake” by threatening her. Detective Payne responded, “We’re done,” and abruptly grabbed Ms. Wubbels to handcuff her, twisting her and pushing her out the door as she screamed for help. She was later released. | Ms. Wubbels’s supervisor, on speakerphone, backed her up and told Detective Payne that he was “making a huge mistake” by threatening her. Detective Payne responded, “We’re done,” and abruptly grabbed Ms. Wubbels to handcuff her, twisting her and pushing her out the door as she screamed for help. She was later released. |
| Karra Porter, Ms. Wubbels’s lawyer, said in a phone call Tuesday evening that her client was “still absorbing the information” about Chief Brown’s decision and did not want to comment on it yet. However, Ms. Wubbels came on the line briefly to urge the broader use of body cameras, which played a crucial role in this case. | Karra Porter, Ms. Wubbels’s lawyer, said in a phone call Tuesday evening that her client was “still absorbing the information” about Chief Brown’s decision and did not want to comment on it yet. However, Ms. Wubbels came on the line briefly to urge the broader use of body cameras, which played a crucial role in this case. |
| “I think without the body camera footage, my story would never have been told,” she said. “The story alone, despite my ability to factually tell it, was not enough. | “I think without the body camera footage, my story would never have been told,” she said. “The story alone, despite my ability to factually tell it, was not enough. |
| “I think body cameras only serve to protect everybody and allow everyone’s story to be told in a factual way,” Ms. Wubbels added, “versus a he-said-she-said situation.” | “I think body cameras only serve to protect everybody and allow everyone’s story to be told in a factual way,” Ms. Wubbels added, “versus a he-said-she-said situation.” |
| Mr. Skordas, Detective Payne’s lawyer, told The Associated Press that his client felt the body camera footage, by drawing national attention, had blown the episode out of proportion — an argument that audibly angered Ms. Porter. | Mr. Skordas, Detective Payne’s lawyer, told The Associated Press that his client felt the body camera footage, by drawing national attention, had blown the episode out of proportion — an argument that audibly angered Ms. Porter. |
| “The body camera footage told the truth about what happened,” Ms. Porter said, noting that she and Ms. Wubbels had released the entirety of the footage, not selected clips. “It’s hard for me to understand how an officer would say people shouldn’t know what happened.” | “The body camera footage told the truth about what happened,” Ms. Porter said, noting that she and Ms. Wubbels had released the entirety of the footage, not selected clips. “It’s hard for me to understand how an officer would say people shouldn’t know what happened.” |
| Mayor Jackie Biskupski of Salt Lake City praised Chief Brown’s decision in a statement to The Salt Lake Tribune. | Mayor Jackie Biskupski of Salt Lake City praised Chief Brown’s decision in a statement to The Salt Lake Tribune. |
| The decision “is in keeping with the high level of accountability we owe the people of Salt Lake City, and is a decision which can be upheld under further scrutiny,” Ms. Biskupski wrote. “In making his decision, I am confident Chief Brown balanced the unique stresses each of our police officers deal with daily, and the responsibility they have as leaders in our community.” | The decision “is in keeping with the high level of accountability we owe the people of Salt Lake City, and is a decision which can be upheld under further scrutiny,” Ms. Biskupski wrote. “In making his decision, I am confident Chief Brown balanced the unique stresses each of our police officers deal with daily, and the responsibility they have as leaders in our community.” |
| Ms. Porter described the firing of Detective Payne and the demotion of Officer Tracy as “one step toward regaining public trust,” but called, in the long term, for “a consistent pattern of investigating and responding to inappropriate police behavior.” | Ms. Porter described the firing of Detective Payne and the demotion of Officer Tracy as “one step toward regaining public trust,” but called, in the long term, for “a consistent pattern of investigating and responding to inappropriate police behavior.” |
| “The city has to take steps to show that it in fact has learned its lesson,” she said. | “The city has to take steps to show that it in fact has learned its lesson,” she said. |