Immediately after graduating from the Philadelphia Police Academy, Payne was assigned to Special Operations as Peter Wohl's assistant. This was done to keep him out of trouble; higher-ups in the department figured that Payne would come to his senses and leave the Department in time. Instead, Payne became a hero when he shot and killed a serial killer/rapist, who Payne found by accident, and who was attempting to run him over. His shooting saved a woman who had been inside the van.