A former Atlanta Police Red Dog officer who was a supervisor during the unconstitutional 2009 raid on the Atlanta Eagle was denied getting his job back by the city's Civil Service Board, reports WABE.

Sgt. Willie Adams, a nearly 20-year veteran on the force before he was fired for "lack of truthfulness," said in his Oct. 20 hearing before the Civil Service Board he believed there was a search warrant for the raid. There was not.

He was fired for saying he did not witness patrons of the bar being patted down, that he participated as a supervisor in detaining the patrons, which went against APD standard operating procedures, and that he lied when he said he told officers to allow the patrons to sit up rather than remain lying down on the bar's floor, said Amber Robinson, city senior assistant attorney, during the Oct. 20 hearing.

Adams' attorney, Mary Huber, accused the city at the hearing of trying to appease Eagle attorney Dan Grossman and deflect bad publicity surrounding the APD because of the botched raid.

“In the rush to settle the lawsuit, the city is throwing this officer under the bus to make Mr. Grossman happy and go away,” said Huber.

Adams testified he believed there was a search warrant for the raid before the Red Dog Unit barged into the bar to provide support to the Vice Unit and that he ordered the patrons on the ground to be allowed to sit up because they were being cooperative and he was a “humane” person.

“That particular night everybody was cooperative. Certain things of this operation were standard and we thought it was legal,” Adams said.

Police Chief George Turner testified at Adams' hearing, reiterating the department's policy to fire officers who have lied.

Huber told WABE's Jim Burress that Adams plans to appeal the decision in Fulton Superior Court.

On Nov. 10, former APD officer Cayenne Mayes, also involved in the Eagle raid, was denied his appeal to return to the force.

On Sept. 10, 2009, the Eagle was raided by the APD's now disbanded Red Dog Unit and Vice Unit. The raid was in response to two anonymous tips to the city that illegal sex and drug use was taking place in the bar. Nobody was arrested on charges for either of those allegations.

In December 2010, the city settled a federal civil lawsuit with patrons of the bar for $1.025 million. Two more lawsuits against the city are pending. The city also settled with employees of the bar for $120,000.

Top photo: Former Atlanta Police Department Sgt. Willie Adams testifying before the Civil Service Board on Oct. 20 and asking for his job back after being fired in the fallout of the botched raid on the Atlanta Eagle. (by Dyana Bagby)