Chief of Police Keith Lane has appointed David Blevins as the New Braunfels Police Department’s next Assistant Chief of Police. The announcement comes following the recent retirement of Joe Vargas after 34 years of service to NBPD.
Assistant Chief Blevins came to the New Braunfels Police Department in December of 2007 after serving 8 years with the Victoria Police Department. Blevins is a Master Peace Officer with a Bachelor’s of Science in Criminal Justice from Howard Payne University and has attended the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command as well as the Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas (LEMIT).
“The decision of naming NBPD’s next Assistant Chief was one of the most difficult of my career because of the high caliber of talented leaders in this department,” said Chief of Police Keith Lane. “But David Blevins exhibits so many of the critical leadership traits that represent what is needed to ensure that the relationships-driven culture of this department continues to grow in the future.”
During his nearly 17 years with NBPD, Blevins has risen through the ranks, first as a patrol officer, then as the department’s Training Coordinator, followed by promotions to Corporal, then Patrol Sergeant, and then as Sergeant in the Criminal Investigations Division (CID) overseeing property crimes. He has also served on the NBPD SWAT Team, helped create the School Resource Officer (SRO) Unit, and served as the SRO Sergeant before being promoted to Administrative Lieutenant in 2021.
Blevins is a 7th degree blackbelt in Tae Kwon Do, a 1st degree blackbelt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and is a martial arts instructor for the department. Throughout his law enforcement career, he has earned the Medal of Valor among numerous other commendations and awards, and he volunteers at numerous city, school district, and community events. He officially began his role as Assistant Chief of Police on June 17th and will receive his Assistant Chief badge during a swearing in ceremony set for June 26th.