After receiving a high score on the Detective exam, Payne was then assigned to the East Division's detective office and worked routine operations such as retrieving stolen cars. He was reassigned to the Special Investigations section of Special Operations by order of Mayor Carlucci. In "The Witness", Payne ended up shooting and being shot by one of a gang of armed robbers. Again, not intentionally: Wohl had sent him to escort Mickey O'Hara and to keep O'Hara safe and out of the line of any fire).