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By Sarah Brown – Managing Editor

A highly awarded and recognized man in the State of Georgia, a Dooly County native, Bobby Reed has officially retired at the age of 78 from Brannen Motor Company. Reed started his law enforcement career in 1971 with the Dekalb County Police Department. After roughly 4 years, Reed moved back to South Georgia where he was appointed as Assistant Chief of Vienna Police in 1975, then less that a year later he was promoted and appointed as Chief of Vienna Police. His over 20-year law enforcement career ended in 1995 after some health issues. Shortly after in July of 1995 he started and grew the government fleet business from its inception at Brannen Motor Company in Unadilla. This position allowed him to stay involved in law enforcement in a different way, as he sold fleets of cars to law enforcement agencies across 40 states. After 30 years, he hands the reins over to his son Jamey Reed and Jay Kelly as they take over the business with training and guidance from Bobby.

They celebrated his retirement with a luncheon at Brannen Motors on April 9 , 2024.

Bobby Reeds Accomplishments:

• President of the Georgia Association of Chief’s of Police during his last year in law enforcement.
• He was honored by the Georgia Association of Chief’s of Police as Police Chief of the Year and had an award name din his honor.
• He was selected in 1994 to be a committee member for President Bill Clinton’s crime bill task force. Reed was flown to Washington D.C. and contributed to the writing of the crime bill.
• Co-Founded the Georgia Law Enforcement Command College at Columbus State University.
• Received proclamations from 4 different Governor’s for his contributions in law enforcement.
• He was honored by WSB Channel 2 news in Atlanta in 1972 as Officer of the Year for the State of Georgia for his acts in the line of duty involving saving a pedestrian that was hit by a car. He was honored by Dekalb County Optimist Club for this act as well.
• He has been a member of the Free Masons for 50 years and was honored for his contributions recently by the Georgia Grand Master of the Free and Associated Masons.
• He was a guest speaker at his son Jamey’s Police Academy Graduation in 1993.