Lexington Appoints Seasoned Law Enforcement Professional AJ Panebianco as Interim Chief of Police
Date postedAugust 9, 2025
(Lexington, Virginia, August 8, 2025) – The Lexington Police Department will be led for the next several months by a seasoned law enforcement professional with deep roots in the greater Lexington area.
Anthony “AJ” Panebianco will begin serving as interim Chief of Police for the City of Lexington on Monday, August 11th and will serve in this capacity until a full-time chief is hired.
Chief Panebianco brings more than 35 years of police experience to Lexington and previously served as Chief of Police in Buena Vista and Middleburg, Virginia. Panebianco retired from Middleburg in 2023, is the author of three books, and is the past president of the Virginia Chiefs of Police Association.
Since retiring two years ago, Panebianco has provided law enforcement consulting services to police departments including staffing studies, organizational assessments, and leadership development. He has also served as interim chief of police in several locations throughout Virginia.
Panebianco is stepping in to assist the Lexington Police Department following the retirement of Police Chief Angela Greene. Chief Greene has taken a new role serving the entire Commonwealth of Virginia as the Attorney General’s senior director of programs and outreach after capably serving Lexington for the last four years.
City Manager Tom Carroll noted how fortunate the Lexington Police Department is to have Chief Panebianco leading during this transition. Carroll said, “Chief Panebianco’s charge is to provide stability, leadership, and professional development for the LPD. We could not find a more capable law enforcement professional to help us over the next few months.”
The City of Lexington will begin the process of recruiting the next Chief of Police in August, following at least two community meetings to invite public feedback on the selection process. These meetings will be held on Thursday, August 14th and Monday, August 18th at 7 p.m. in the Police Department conference room located at 11 Fuller Street.
Residents with questions about or feedback on the recruitment process are invited to email City Manager Tom Carroll at TCarroll@LexingtonVa.gov. The City will host additional opportunities for public feedback on the qualities and attributes that the community wants in the next full-time chief of police.