Salt Lake City police Detective Jeff Payne has been fired from his part-time paramedic job as the fallout continues from Payne’s arrest of a University Hospital nurse in July.
Salt Lake City-based Gold Cross Ambulance said in a Tuesday statement it had terminated Payne ”effective immediately.”
Payne arrested nurse Alex Wubbels on July 26 when she refused to allow Payne to draw a patient’s blood. The encounter caught worldwide attention last week when Wubbels and her attorney released police body camera footage of the arrest and conversations between officers and with hospital officials before and after the encounter. Wubbels was released from police custody after several minutes.
At one point in the footage, Payne remarks to another officer — apparently frustrated by Wubbels’ refusal to allow a blood draw — that he could retaliate against the hospital in his role as a Gold Cross paramedic.
“I‘ll bring them all the transients and take good patients elsewhere,” Payne says in the footage.
Payne also wonders aloud on the video how the incident may affect his paramedic job.
Gold Cross had initiated an internal investigation into Payne’s remarks last week when the video was released, though Payne was allowed to stay on the job, Gold Cross President Mike Moffitt previously told The Salt Lake Tribune.
The Tuesday Gold Cross statement did not reveal details of the investigation findings. But it said that ”although Jeff was not working for Gold Cross Ambulance at the time of the incident, we take his inappropriate remarks regarding patient transports seriously.”
The company added: “We acknowledge those concerned individuals who have contacted us regarding this incident and affirm our commitment to serving all members of the community with kindness and respect. We will continue to maintain our values of outstanding patient focused care, safety, and the complete trust of the communities we serve.”
Meanwhile, Payne has been placed on administrative by the Salt Lake Police Department pending an internal investigation and the city’s Civilian Review Board. Also, Salt Lake County’s Unified Police Department has opened a criminal investigation at the request of Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill.