Police officer in aggressive Utah nurse arrest video sexually harassed a female co-worker

The police officer who lost his job after a violent altercation with a hospital nurse has a history of sexual harassment allegations against him.

Salt Lake City Police Detective Jeff Payne is currently under investigation after video footage emerged of a tense encounter with nurse Alex Wubbels at the University of Utah hospital in July. The nurse had declined a police request to draw blood from an unconscious patient, explaining very clearly and with documentation that it was against hospital policy. Officer Payne became very aggressive with her and forcefully arrested her while she cried out in protest.

The nurse was released a short time later without having been taken into the police precinct.

As CrimeOnline previously reported, the incident is currently under review by the FBI and Payne has been placed on administrative leave.

The Daily News reports that officer Payne has had multiple disciplinary infractions, including an internal review regarding allegations he had sexually harassed a female co-worker.

According the report, Payne made forced “unwanted physical contact” on the woman and sent inappropriate emails from his official police account.

The Salt Lake Tribune obtained a letter the department chief had sent Payne, explaining that after the review he was convinced of the allegations against him.

“Your harassing behavior was severe and persistent and created a hostile, intimidating work environment for this employee, significantly interfering with her ability to work,” the chief reportedly wrote.

Still, the officer did not receive any meaningful penalties beyond the reprimand. He was warned that if he repeated the behavior he would be dismissed.

After the July incident at the hospital, Payne was suspended from a second job as an ambulance driver.