Vargas, who has served the city for more than 30 years, began his career as an animal control officer while attending the police academy.
Upon his graduation from the academy, he transferred to the New Braunfels Police Department as a patrol officer and later served as an investigator, SWAT operator, SWAT commander and assistant chief of police.
The announcement comes more than three months after the September retirement of Police Chief Tom Wibert.
Interim Chief of Police Keith Lane is currently working with the city and an outside consultant to finalize the recruiting plan for the next chief of police and will search for an assistant chief of police after the new chief is sworn in, according to a city press release.
