City executive arrested, off the job after alleged drunken tirade

ATLANTA — A city of Atlanta executive is off the job, accused of having a public drunken tirade and using her position to threaten police.

Bettina Gardner, who served as Mayor Kasim Reed's deputy director of international affairs, was arrested on Peachtree Street around 10:30 p.m. on Jan. 19.

According to a police report, she was so drunk and belligerent that she was denied entry into the Hooters and got kicked out of the Hard Rock Café.

In the report, Gardner is described as very drunk, boisterous and cursing along the sidewalk.

When she was handcuffed, Gardner allegedly told police thatshe did not like the "slave shackles," and she told one restaurant manager that being escorted from the bar was "racially motivated."

To keep Gardner from being uncomfortable in a patrol car during the city jail's shift change, police say they relocated her to the zone five precinct and handcuffed her to city-issued holding benches. While there, they say she “started banging her hands on the bench and back wall. She also tried to flip herself upside down."

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Authorities say that she then tried to use her position to threaten police. The report says Gardner told officers "she worked with Coop, who was going to come and get" them. “Officer Cooper," she said, "was Mayor Reed's executive protection officer."

She also told them that she had "people in Washington," according to the report.

Finally, the report says Gardner "threw herself down in a puddle of water" screaming "police brutality" during the attempt to transport her to jail.

The city of Atlanta says Gardner is no longer a city employee.

Channel 2’s Nicole Carr requested her booking photo from the city jail Thursday, but it was not fulfilled by the time this article was written. The city did not respond to a request for Gardner’s actual termination date, as her online resume still touted her job with city.

Carr left her name and number with one of Gardner’s family members, but has not received a call.

Gardner is charged with one count of disorderly conduct under the influence.

Cox Media Group