Payne fired on Oct. 10

Maricopa Police Lt. Willie Payne was terminated effective Oct. 10 but his appeal process has not concluded, city spokeswoman LaTricia Woods said in an email this morning.

Woods provided no further details.

Payne, who was hired by MPD in 2007 and promoted from sergeant to lieutenant in 2008, was placed on paid administrative leave July 1. The city has not said why Payne was on leave.

In his four years with the department, Payne was the subject of six internal investigations. His was exonerated in one investigation and in two complaints against him were determined unfounded. One investigation was unresolved and in two investigations the allegations brought against him were sustained.

In early 2009, Officer Miller Dao alleged Payne came into a squad briefing and said now that he’s the new lieutenant, he was going to make some changes and “crush” anyone who got in his way. Dao continued in a memo to superiors that Payne said if one of the officers, Elliot Sneezy, continued to challenge him, the lieutenant would “take care of him too.”

Dao, who resigned at a Merit Board hearing last month after his attorney made an appeal to get his job back, said that Payne’s comments were “very unprofessional and offensive” and that Payne, as the new lieutenant, should be setting an example for his subordinates.

Payne was given supervisor counseling and training for conflict resolution and diversity in the work place.

In September 2010, Payne was given a written reprimand by then Police Chief Kirk Fitch for speaking in a derogatory manner about another employee to other employees for a complaint lodged by members of the City of Maricopa Police Association, a union that represents officers. Joni Ashton, an MPD employee, participated in the complaint.