Herndon Police Chief Maggie DeBoard was quietly placed on administrative leave last month, and it’s unclear when — or if — she’s expected to return.
DeBoard, who became the town’s first female police chief when she was appointed in 2012, was put on administrative leave on Feb. 12, a town spokesperson says, confirming a Feb. 28 report by WUSA9.
The Herndon Police Department’s assistant chief, Captain Steve Pihonak, has been serving as acting chief “until her return,” the spokesperson told FFXnow, though she didn’t elaborate when asked if that means DeBoard will definitely return.
“The town does not comment on personnel matters,” the spokesperson said.
As noted by WUSA9, DeBoard has faced some challenges during her time as police chief — including a discrimination lawsuit filed by a former officer in 2023 that was settled before trial.
More recently, the Fairfax County Criminal Justice Academy cut ties with the Herndon Police Department over a dispute between DeBoard and Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis about signatures on graduation certificates.
After DeBoard took FCPD Major Wilson Lee, the academy’s director, signing the certificates in Chinese, Davis allegedly confronted her at a graduation ceremony on March 7, 2024, calling DeBoard’s complaints racist, she told NBC4.
Fairfax Deputy County Executive for Safety and Security Tom Arnold informed DeBoard on March 18, 2024 that the academy was terminating its affiliation with the Herndon department, effective June 1, 2024.
“We thank you for your agency’s contributions to the Academy and wish you and your officers well in their future law enforcement training endeavors,” Arnold said in the letter.
The letter didn’t specify why the academy decided to cut ties with Herndon, but according to the Washington Post, another email indicated that the county felt DeBoard’s actions were “inconsistent” with its “One Fairfax” policy promoting racial and social equity.
In response, Herndon’s then-town manager Bill Ashton announced that an “external review” of the incident would be conducted, but the town was still working “to resolve the issue” when the criminal justice academy’s termination took effect last June, creating uncertainty about how the HPD would train new recruits.
The town spokesperson declined to comment further when asked if the external review has been completed. Herndon Mayor Keven LeBlanc also said he’s unable to comment on the matter.
A Herndon Town Council member told FFXnow that the conflict with Fairfax County was “unfortunate” but didn’t confirm any connection to DeBoard’s current status. While limited in what he could say regarding personnel matters, he described the situation as “not a trivial matter.”
“We need to trust the process,” he said. “… It has to be fair to everyone.”
The review of DeBoard has been complicated by the absence of a permanent town manager, who handles personnel and provides oversight for the police department. With Ashton resigning last September, the Town of Herndon hired former Prince William County executive Christopher Martino as its interim town manager.
The search for a permanent town manager is still underway. The town council held a closed meeting on Tuesday (March 4) to discuss prospective candidates.
Screenshot via Town of Herndon Police Department/Facebook
