Miles Jay Oliver

The Shreveport Times

A change to Bossier City policy allowing employees to work while under the influence of alcohol has members of the city council and community advocates calling foul. The alteration effectively clears employees to perform all work-related tasks — including driving or operating city vehicles and equipment — after drinking.

The policy change came to light Tuesday when council president Don Williams voiced concern over the mayor's action near the conclusion of the council meeting.

Williams said the issue seemed to involve a recent incident in which a Bossier City employee was involved in an accident while operating a piece of heavy equipment. That employee admitted to drinking the night before, he said.

Department heads went to the mayor in an effort to alter the employee policy, according to Williams.

Mayor Lorenz "Lo" Walker changed the city's zero-tolerance policy Monday to allow Bossier City employees to work and operate city vehicles with a BAC of up to .04 percent.

The revised policy took effect three days earlier on April 1. Bossier City spokesman Mark Natale said it's a customary procedure for the mayor to date the enactment of any directive to reflect the first of the month.

Walker would not comment on his actions when asked Thursday. However, during Tuesday's city council meeting Walker said his action stemmed from concern that "a good employee" was about to be lost to the zero-tolerance policy.

Natale said Walker is doing his due diligence and reviewing the policy before commenting publicly.

Bossier City's policies and procedures manual — dating back to July 1, 2012 — lists "being intoxicated or impaired by an authorized or unauthorized controlled substance, illegal drug or have an alcohol concentration above 0 percent while in the service of the City of Bossier City" as one of its employee prohibitions.

The 2012 policy also reads "employees who violate this policy, test positive for drugs, or over 0 percent for alcohol or refuse/adulterate any test shall be subject to immediate termination and shall not be eligible for rehabilitation."

In the revised policy — effective April 1, 2016 — the alcohol concentration is altered from zero to 0.04 percent.

"I just don't understand," said Williams, who believes the city has lowered its standards from its zero-tolerance policy.

Jeff Darby, District 2 city council representative, expressed his surprise at the revelation brought by Williams in the final moments of the council meeting.

"You don't expect something to be reversed or revised like that," said Darby, who strongly recommends the city return to the zero-tolerance policy that existed before Mayor Walker's change.

Darby said the alteration is sending the wrong message to citizens who expect higher standards and integrity from public officials and opens the city up to increased vulnerability and liability.

"Where do we stop?" asked Darby, who believes allowing employees to be under the influence of alcohol while working mitigates a variety of other potential issues.

Valerie Cox,Louisiana Mothers Against Drunk Driving program manager, shares the councilmens' concerns.

"If you are working, it should be zero tolerance," said Cox. "MADD Louisiana is totally against employees driving under the influence of any impairment."

Williams plans to introduce an ordinance to revert back to the zero-tolerance policy and hopes the council will support it. The proposed ordinance will be on the agenda for their next meeting.

"This is a pattern of the mayor," said Williams. "There have been several instances of alcohol-related incidents and the mayor uses his policy the way he wants to interpret it. Just as in the case now."

How many drinks does it take to get a BAC of .02?

A 164-pound man consuming two standard-sized drinks in one hour would register the lower BAC of .02 percent, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC does not list specific comparisons for .04 percent.