Tuesday, November 16, 2021 - A court hearing held in Sequoyah County Tuesday may allow former Sallisaw Police Lt Billy Oliver to return to active duty.
A Sequoyah County judge ruled that a protective order currently in place against Oliver could not prohibit him from possessing a firearm.
Oliver was placed on paid leave in June 2020 and later fired in November of the same year.
Records indicate that Oliver was fired for accusations of excessive force related to a June 2020 arrest in which Oliver allegedly used an unauthorized chokehold. There were also other issues named in the termination records.
Earlier this year an arbitrator ruled that Oliver should be reinstated without backpay. However, a protective order was in place against Oliver related to a rape allegation. The protective order prohibited Oliver from possessing firearms or ammunition. The arbitrator’s ruling indicated that the order had to first be removed or modified before Oliver could be reinstated.
No charges have been filed at this time related to the rape allegation.
According to the judge in today’s hearing, the protective order can not prohibit Oliver from possessing a firearm because the allegation does not involve domestic abuse or the stalking of an intimate partner or child. Because of this, the federal firearms prohibition does not apply.
KXMX News Staff
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