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Sanitation department to change bag policy after shooting incident

Montgomery Advertiser - 5/18/2018

May 18--The Montgomery Department of Sanitation will implement a clear bag policy for its employees after a worker this week pulled a gun and shot at a man while on his lunch break.

Director of Sanitation Daniel Dickey said Friday department heads have met with employees to reiterate existing city and department prohibitions of weapons in the workplace, as well as to discuss the new bag policy.

"We don't tolerate this type of conduct," Dickey said. "We will enforce the policies that are in place, and take the actions we need to take to prevent this from happening again. Safety is the main thing."

Brandon Oliver, a city sanitation worker, was on his lunch break Wednesday when he pulled out a gun and fired at a man in the parking lot of a Mobile Highway business.

Officials said Thursday that Oliver had been arrested and charged with reckless endangerment, though there were no court documents related to the charged in the state database Friday morning.

"The adult male victim advised that Brandon Oliver, a city sanitation worker, was standing in the parking lot of a business and discharged a firearm in his direction," Montgomery Police Capt. Regina Duckett said in an emailed statement.

No one was injured in the shooting, and Duckett said no property was damaged. MPD's initial investigation found that Oliver and the victim knew each other and were involved in an "ongoing dispute."

Duckett said the shooting occurred around 11:20 a.m. in the 4300 block of Mobile Highway.

"We're lucky that no one was injured," Dickey said.

Oliver reported to the sanitation department Thursday morning and voluntarily resigned, Dickey said, knowing he would otherwise be subject to a disciplinary procedure.

Montgomery's employee handbook states "possession of a firearm license does not authorize an employee to possess a firearm on city property where firearms are prohibited or in city buildings." The handbook prohibits firearm possession "while performing job duties or on city property," unless otherwise allowed under state law.

The department will begin implementing a clear bag policy as soon as Monday.

"We felt like we needed to take immediate action," Dickey said of the policy change. "We've given everyone until Monday to make arrangements to change the type of bags they use."

Dickey said the department will assist employees in finding compliant bags.

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