My name is Lochlan Armstrong. I reside in Purcellville, Virginia and recently retired from the federal government after 27.5 years of service – 10 years with the U.S. Capital Police, where I left as a Sergeant, followed by 17.5 years with the Central Intelligence Agency. I spent most of my career within the Directorate of Operations. No longer in a covert position, I am pleased to publicly endorse my fellow Law Enforcement and CIA Intelligence Officer professional, Ben Nett, for Purcellville Town Council. Ben is honest, courageous, and tenacious. He is someone you want on your side. Ben is very much on the side of small-town Purcellville.
- Lochlan Armstrong: U.S. Capitol Police; Central Intelligence Agency (Ret.)
I am pleased to write this letter of recommendation for Mr. Ben Nett, an experienced and dedicated father, Locust Grove HOA Board of Director member, and a Purcellville Police Officer who is now seeking to serve our community as a member of the town council. During Ben's tenure on the HOA board, he has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership, strategic thinking, and a commitment to upholding the highest standards of integrity.... Ben possesses a strong sense of duty and has shown an unwavering commitment to the well-being of our community. I have witnessed his ability to communicate effectively, build consensus, and navigate diverse perspectives—a skill set crucial for effective town governance. What sets Ben apart is his passion for community engagement and a genuine desire to make a positive impact at the local level. I am confident that he will bring the same level of dedication and expertise to the town council....
- Jonathan Arnburg: Senior Director of Public Safety and Emergency Management, Inova Health System Administration / President, Locust Grove HOA
My name is Eric Bridge. I’m a Sergeant with the Purcellville Police Department and work closely with Officer Nett, whom I have the pleasure of recommending for Town Council. I am in my 8th year with the Purcellville Police Department, where I serve as a shift supervisor and Field Training Coordinator. I previously retired from the Fairfax County Police Department, where I served nearly thirty years and held positions in operations, investigations, administration, training, and special operations. I mention my experience so that you might fully appreciate the respect I have for Officer Nett and the enthusiasm with which I recommend him for Purcellville Town Council.
Officer Nett joined the Purcellville Police Department in the summer of 2022, bringing with him a truly unique and unmatched résumé. He immediately lived up to his reputation, leading the Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Training Academy by graduating first in class and earning the first-ever academic award for a Purcellville recruit. From the beginning, Officer Nett hit the ground running and established himself as a reliable and dependable employee. His maturity, life experience, intellect, education, and prior experience in law enforcement were immediately recognized during the Field Training Process. From the outset, it was evident I was working with a peer rather than a traditional rookie cop trainee.
Officer Nett is a stellar ambassador of our Police Department. He is completely reliable, rarely takes leave, consistently arrives to work and court on-time, covers additional shifts when we are short-staffed, stays at work until the job is done, and has utilized minimal sick leave. He produces exceptional work product, owing to his skills as a writer and analytical thinker. He is accountable, carries himself well, and projects a command presence and professional demeanor. Officer Nett is a mission-oriented professional who regularly participates in community policing events, takes pride in his work, and owns the outcome of projects and assignments.
Since joining the department, Officer Nett has handled a number of complex investigations that we would normally have sought the county's help with or passed to the county altogether. He is well organized and does an excellent job with follow-ups and supplemental reports, and he has become the department’s subject matter expert on search warrant applications for domestic and transnational corporations. He strictly maintains confidentiality and protects the privacy of employees and the citizens we serve. Officer Nett possesses superior communication skills and rarely meets resistance or is required to use force. He has indeed honed his “small town skills,” dealing with citizens in a polite, professional, respectful, compassionate and patient manner. He is always willing to listen, and thereafter acts in a fair and reasonable manner. He maintains a good attitude when interacting with the public and behaves professionally while instilling confidence as a public servant. Officer Nett is good-natured, has an infectious sense of humor, and gets along well with everyone we deal with. He has earned the respect of his peers and the citizenry due to his demonstrated desire to work with people rather than against them in order to resolve problems and conflict, gather intelligence, and leave people with the impression of a professional organization. To date, Officer Nett has not generated a single citizen complaint. This is EXTRAORDINARY considering the number of investigations he has conducted and the number of arrests he has made. I, personally, have witnessed him receive an honest “thank you” from citizens he has cited for egregious traffic infractions and even those he has arrested for felony offenses....
The complex criminal investigations he has thus far managed have resulted in collaboration with such agencies as the U.S. Secret Service, the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, Virginia State Police, and the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office. His efforts have been instrumental in disrupting a nationwide theft and money-laundering organization, and he is currently working additional felony theft cases that have left Purcellville residents victimized by sophisticated fraudsters operating under phony identities and attempting to mask their footprints with temporary emails accounts and burner phone numbers. Perhaps the most significant contribution Officer Nett has made was his aggressive investigation of a firearm theft by a middle school student. I had the privilege of working closely with him on this investigation, together conducting numerous suspect interviews, obtaining search warrants and arrest warrants, and coordinating with Loudoun County SWAT. Our investigative efforts, for which Officer Nett played a leading part, resulted in the boy being arrested, with the loaded pistol, just moments before boarding the school bus headed for Blue Ridge Middle School. To be clear, such victories by law enforcement are not accidental. They are the product of painstaking efforts, tenacious follow-up, and often times require innate skills such as those possessed by Officer Nett.
I cannot possibly overstate my support for Officer Nett, who clearly possesses a wide range of unique and valuable experience. If Officer Nett brings one-tenth the passion, vigor, and humor to Town Hall that he brings to PPD Headquarters, I predict this council will achieve great things for the citizens of Purcellville.
I wholeheartedly endorse Officer Nett (Ben) for Town Council.
- Eric Bridge: Sergeant (now retired), Purcellville Police Department
Ben Nett is an outstanding and truly dedicated, life-long public servant. Ben will work tirelessly to ensure that Purcellville remains an embracing and beautiful place to live.
- Jim Laverty: Purcellville resident; Special Agent, Drug Enforcement Administration (Ret.)