St. Johns Sheriff's Office terminates Payne after she fails to show up for meeting

After failing to appear at her own pre-disciplinary panel meeting Monday afternoon, Sgt. Catherine Payne of the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office was terminated after 15 years on the job.

Payne had already been on leave when she was arrested on Oct. 21 on a third-degree felony charge of interference with child custody.

According to police reports, Payne took her 6-year-old son from school despite not having legal custody at the time. Payne's husband - they are getting divorced - called 911 to report the child missing, and an Amber Alert was issued and quickly canceled.

Payne and the boy were at a Nassau County restaurant, and Payne waited for authorities there when she found out about the Amber Alert.

Payne told the Times-Union that she suffers from panic attacks, has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder by a therapist and has been going through an emotional wringer as a result of the divorce.

Records show she been detained under Baker Act three times in recent months.

Payne also said her arrest is being used to discredit her because about eight weeks before her arrest she filed an internal affairs complaint about sexual harassment and discrimination. Payne said she is planning a lawsuit, likely in federal court, against the Sheriff's Office and St. Johns County.

The Sheriff's Office did not make an official statement about the decision to terminate Payne, but a spokesman did confirm that she did not appear before the panel.

An official report was released by the Sheriff's Office that showed an internal affairs investigation that Payne had committed six violations of department policy. The most serious offense was "Commission of a criminal act in violation of a county, state or federal statute," which stemmed from her arrest on the custody issue.

The other violations were:

n "Likewise, employees are prohibited from using their position to influence another person (within this agency or outside of this agency) in order to obtain law enforcement or corrections services not directly related to their job and which furthers their personal agenda (for personal gain for a personal business, to make money, in retribution, for harassment, etc.)

• "Employees shall obey any lawful order of a superior including any order relayed from a supervisor by an employee of the same or lesser rank, or as delegated by the responsibilities of their job."
• As it pertains to policy: 26.1.24 Bullet 1 "The below listed items shall not be done and will be considered as insubordinate conduct. Neglect or refusal to obey any proper, legal order of a superior officer."
• As it pertains to policy: 26.1.7 (2.29) "Performing any acts or making any written or verbal statements which tend to bring the SJSO into disrepute or ridicule or which tend to interfere with the reasonable supervision or proper discipline of the SJSO."
• As it pertains to policy: 26.1.7 (3.24) "Employees shall maintain a level of moral conduct in their personal and business affairs which is in the highest standards of the law enforcement profession. Conduct to the contrary shall be considered Conduct Unbecoming."

In media reports, Payne has indicated she has filed for retirement. The Sheriff's Office confirmed that Payne expressed her intention to file for retirement because of health concerns. However, spokesmen there could not confirm whether the official retirement papers had been filed as of Monday.