CONSEQUENCES

SLC Officer Fired, Lieutenant Demoted After Arresting Nurse Who Refused to Draw Blood

“I have lost faith and confidence in your ability to continue to serve as a member of the Salt Lake City Police Department.”

A Salt Lake City police officer and a lieutenant have been formally punished for their part in the controversial arrest of a local nurse. Detective Jeff Payne was terminated on Tuesday and Lt. James Tracy was demoted after a review of their behavior during the July arrest of Alex Wubbels, which made national headlines after body-camera footage, released by her attorneys, showed the officer detaining her after she refused to draw blood from an unconscious patient without a warrant. “I have lost faith and confidence in your ability to continue to serve as a member of the Salt Lake City Police Department,” Salt Lake Police Chief Mike Brown wrote in an official letter notifying Payne of his termination. “I am deeply troubled by your lack of sound, professional judgment and your discourteous, disrespectful and unwarranted behavior, which unnecessarily escalated a situation that could and should have been resolved in a manner far different from the course of action you chose to pursue.”