Second Cop Suspended After Arresting the Nurse Who Refused to Draw Blood From Unconscious Patient
By now, chances are you have seen the shocking video of Utah Nurse Alex Wubbels being arrested and forcibly dragged into a police officer’s car outside of the hospital she worked at. Her crime? Following the law and refusing to let Detective Jeff Payne draw blood from her unconscious patient.
I know, horrible, right? How dare she follow the law! When she refused to let the Detective essentially steal blood from an unconscious man without a warrant, the Detective became enraged and overpowered her, arresting her on the spot and dragging her to his car as she screamed for help. Since the video of the arrest went viral, Wubbels has received an outpouring of support and the officers involved in the incident are being investigated.
Payne, the officer who arrested her, was already placed on paid leave (why paid??), but now, a second cop has also been disciplined.
Find out more about the details of this case!
Placed on Leave
According to reports, the second officer has not been identified, but just like Payne, he was placed on paid leave. Not much of a punishment, in my opinion, but at least it’s a start. And as many people have pointed out, the two officers carrying out their orders are obviously not the only ones to blame–their supervising lieutenant, who was Payne’s boss, was the one who told them to arrest Wubbbels if she didn’t comply in the first place. Reports say that he is also being investigated.
The outcry from the public over the incident has been intense and Wubbels received an apology from the Utah Chief of Police, which she responded to, noting that she has felt supported since the incident and hopes for a positive outcome.
Apologies Made
“This morning, I received a call from the Mayor of Salt Lake City and the Chief of Police. They both offered me personal apologies, which I felt were sincere. I have accepted those apologies, and I look forward to working with both of them to help promote further civil dialogue and education. The common goal of all public service professionals should be to provide the best care to our fellow citizens.
The outpouring of support has been beyond what I could have imagined. Since the incident, the City has taken this matter seriously, and I believe that positive change will occur.”
A True Professional
Wubbels appeared on some media outlets after the arrest (she was let go, thank goodness) and when questioned about her thoughts on the officers’ punishment, she stayed professional as always and did her best to support the police officers who have sworn to protect.
The hard-working nurse refused to comment on whether or not the officers being placed on paid leave was adequate punishment for what they had done. “”I can’ say that,” she told Today. “I’m not here to police the police. The police need to do that if they’re going to regain any kind of trust by me or the public.” She hasn’t filed a lawsuit yet, but she may in the future.
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