April 28, 2026 — After more than a year of interim service and months of political deadlock, the Purcellville Town Council voted unanimously to appoint Sara Lombraña as the town’s permanent Chief of Police.

The appointment followed a recommendation from Interim Town Manager Tony Sabio and a unanimous endorsement from the hiring panel convened by the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police, which vetted 27 candidates.

Lombraña joined the department in September 2024 as Deputy Chief and was elevated to Interim Chief in January 2025 following former Chief Barry Dufek’s retirement. She holds a B.A. from the University of Mary Washington, is a graduate of the Virginia Chiefs of Police Professional Executive Leadership School and the FBI LEEDA trilogy program, and brings extensive detective and forensic experience, including service on the Internet Crimes Against Children task force. She is fluent in Spanish and is a U.S. Army veteran.

The unanimous vote marks a striking turn after months of division. Recruitment stalled when the council majority voted in April 2025 to begin defunding the department — an effort later abandoned. Earlier motions to appoint Lombraña failed, leaving recruitment in limbo since November. At the April 14 council meeting, residents packed chambers with signs urging her appointment.

The vote comes amid active litigation: Lombraña filed a defamation suit against the town and Vice Mayor Carl “Ben” Nett in January, the same day Nett filed a federal suit naming Lombraña, three council members, and others. Both cases remain pending.