Police protection for former Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed officially ends

Atlanta mayor Kasim Reed jokes during his final press conference as mayor at Atlanta City Hall, December 29. ALYSSA POINTER/ALYSSA.POINTER@AJC.COM

Atlanta mayor Kasim Reed jokes during his final press conference as mayor at Atlanta City Hall, December 29. ALYSSA POINTER/ALYSSA.POINTER@AJC.COM

The police detail that drove and guarded Former Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed officially ended at midnight on Thursday, according to a report from Channel 2 Action News.

The Atlanta Police Department extended Reed’s police protection for 100 days after he left office.

The Police Department said in February that the police protection Reed received after leaving office was "limited" and different from the protection he received while in office.

The department declined to elaborate. But it said the services were necessary and reasonable and similar to services provided to previous mayors following their transition from office.

When he was mayor, Reed was often criticized for activating blue lights to get through intersections. He defended the practice, calling it “right” and “legal.”

He is also accused in a whistle-blower lawsuit of retaliating against a police department employee who said Reed had inappropriately used police officers to run errands for family members.

The city has denied the claims in the suit and said the former employee who made the accusations was fired for poor performance.