Detective Jeff Payne, the Salt Lake City cop caught on body cam footage arresting nurse for refusing to illegally draw an unconscious man’s blood, was put on administrative leave Friday, said Police Chief Mike Brown and Mayor Jackie Biskupski. A criminal probe has been launched, they announced.
BREAKING NEWS:
SLC police officer who arrested U of U nurse placed on full administrative leave after criminal investigation launched pic.twitter.com/WgFi9ZD6Id— KUTV 2News (@KUTV2News) September 1, 2017
“I was alarmed by what I saw in the video with our officer and Ms. Wubbles,” Brown said. “I am sad at the rift this has caused between law-enforcement and the nurses we work so closely with.”
This decision stems from body-cam footage that recently went viral. Payne arrived at the University of Utah Hospital’s on July 26 after another cop, who was off-duty, sustained serious injuries in a car accident. As seen on video, which you can watch below, Payne asked to draw blood from the unconscious patient.
Alex Wubbels, the head nurse at the burn unit, said no, and showed him the hospital policy. She told Payne he needed to have an electronic warrent, the patient’s consent, or the patient was under arrest.
Payne becomes audibly angry as the conservation continues.
“So I take it, without those in place, I’m not going to get blood,” he said. “Am I fair to surmise that?” Payne can also be heard talking to a hospital official, who told him he was making a “huge mistake” for “threatening” Wubbels. Well, the Detective chose to her arrest her. He can be seen trying to snatch a phone from her hands, grabs her, and twists her arms so he can handcuff her.
“Help!” said Wubbels, who was never charged in this incident. “Help! Somebody help me! Stop! Stop! I’ve done nothing wrong!”
Colin Kalmbacher contributed to this article.
[Screengrab of Wubbels via Salt Lake City Police Department]
