Office of the Chief

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Chief of Police Thea Pirnat

Chief Thea Pirnat has served as Chief of the Leesburg Police Department since July 2023, following a distinguished 23-year career with the Fairfax County Police Department. She began her law enforcement career with Fairfax County in 2000 and rose through the ranks, serving in a variety of operational, investigative, supervisory, and command roles.

Her assignments included patrol, investigations, the Reston District Station, the Organized Crime and Intelligence Bureau, the Major Crimes Bureau, and the Resource Management Bureau. She also commanded the FCPD Language Skills Unit, co-chaired the Domestic Violence Fatality Review Team, and served as an instructor at the Fairfax County Criminal Justice Academy.

Chief Pirnat currently serves as Vice Chair of the Police Chiefs Committee for the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments and is a member of the Board of Directors for the Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Academy.

She holds a master’s degree in public administration from George Mason University and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from The University of Texas at San Antonio. Chief Pirnat is a graduate of the Police Executive Research Forum Senior Management Institute for Police (SMIP), the Professional Executive Leadership School (PELS) through the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police, and the Leadership in Police Organizations (LPO) program through the International Association of Chiefs of Police. She is an active member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police, the Police Executive Research Forum, and the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives.

Deputy Chief Major David Smith

Since joining the Leesburg Police Department in 2019, Captain David Smith has served in key leadership roles, including command of the Field Operations Bureau, the department’s largest division. During his tenure, he has led significant operational initiatives, including the implementation of the Town’s School Zone Speed Camera Program, the development of data-driven patrol deployment strategies, and collaborative efforts with Town leadership to enhance noise ordinance enforcement and community quality-of-life initiatives.

Prior to joining the Leesburg Police Department, Captain Smith retired from the Fairfax County Police Department after a distinguished 26-year career. His leadership assignments included the Major Crimes Bureau, Internal Affairs Bureau, and the Cyber and Forensics Bureau, where he oversaw complex investigations, accountability processes, and emerging technology initiatives.

Captain Smith holds a bachelor’s degree in justice studies from Frostburg State University and is a graduate of the Professional Executive Leadership School (PELS), the Institute for Leadership in Changing Times, and the International Association of Chiefs of Police’s Leadership in Police Organizations (LPO) program. His extensive experience in operations, investigations, technology, and organizational leadership continues to support the department’s commitment to professional policing and public service.

Office of Public Information & Community Engagement

The Leesburg Police Department's Office of Public Information and Community Engagement serve as a vital link between the department and the community.

Operating within the Office of the Chief of Police, the office is responsible for providing timely, accurate, and transparent information about department operations, public safety issues, crime prevention initiatives, and community events.

The office manages the department’s media relations, public information efforts, social media platforms, website content, public safety campaigns, emergency communications, and the administration of requests made under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). It also coordinates community engagement initiatives designed to strengthen relationships between the department and the people it serves.

Through proactive communication, public outreach, and meaningful engagement, the Office of Public Information & Community Engagement helps foster trust, transparency, and collaboration while ensuring residents, businesses, visitors, and members of the media have access to important public safety information and public records as permitted by law.