A leadership change is coming to one of Texas’ most recognized law enforcement divisions, with Jason Bobo set to take over as Chief of the Texas Rangers on Sept. 1.
The Texas Public Safety Commission confirmed Bobo’s promotion during its meeting at Texas Department of Public Safety headquarters in Austin. He succeeds Chief Scotty Shiver, who is retiring after 31 years with DPS.
The change also moves Ranger Major Kip Westmoreland into the position of Assistant Chief of the Texas Rangers Division.
Bobo Brings More Than Two Decades of DPS Experience
Bobo began his DPS career in 1999 as a Texas Highway Patrol Trooper and served in that position until 2005. He later became a sergeant in the Criminal Law Enforcement Division, working narcotics and auto theft investigations before joining the Texas Rangers in 2010.
Much of Bobo’s Ranger career has focused on major crime scene investigations.
He previously served as Team Leader for the Company F Crime Scene Team and was a longtime member of the Texas Rangers Major Crime Scene Investigation Team and the division’s Crime Scene Working Group. His work included statewide training, development of investigative policies and implementation of advanced crime scene techniques.
Bobo was promoted to Ranger Assistant Chief in August 2025.
He is a certified crime scene investigator through the International Association for Identification and a graduate of the University of Tennessee’s National Forensic Academy. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and Police Science from Sam Houston State University and holds Master Peace Officer and Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Basic Instructor certifications.
Shiver Retires After 31 Years with DPS
Bobo replaces Scotty Shiver, who has served as Chief of the Texas Rangers Division since February 2024.
Shiver joined DPS in 1995, beginning his career with the Texas Highway Patrol in Navasota before transferring to Huntsville. He moved into criminal investigations in 2001 as a Sergeant/Investigator with the Criminal Law Enforcement Division, working with the Motor Vehicle Theft Service in Arlington and Houston. He also served on the DPS SWAT Team.
Shiver became a Texas Ranger in 2011 with Company C in Lubbock and later transferred to Company A in Houston. He was promoted to lieutenant in 2014 and held several leadership positions with the Rangers’ Special Response Teams.
His subsequent promotions included Ranger Captain and Major, with assignments overseeing the Public Integrity Unit and Special Operations Group at DPS headquarters. In 2021, he became Regional Director for the Capitol Region before being named Chief of the Texas Rangers in 2024.
Shiver holds degrees from the University of Texas at Arlington and American Military University and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy.
Westmoreland Promoted to Assistant Chief
Bobo’s move to Chief also creates another change within the division’s leadership.
Ranger Major Kip Westmoreland will become Assistant Chief of the Texas Rangers Division.
Westmoreland joined DPS in 1998 and has served with the Texas Highway Patrol, DPS Narcotics Service and Texas Rangers. His assignments have taken him to communities across the state, including Alvin, Houston, Rosenberg, Eastland, Richmond, Tyler, Austin and Garland.
He has also served with the Texas Ranger Reconnaissance Team, which targets drug trafficking and human smuggling organizations along the Texas-Mexico border.
As a Ranger Captain, Westmoreland helped plan tactical operations along the international border and led the team operating the state’s Border Security Operations Center in Austin.
Most recently, Westmoreland served as Ranger Major and Company Commander for Company A, which covers the 35 counties comprising DPS’ Southeast Texas Region.
Westmoreland previously served in the U.S. Marine Corps and graduated from the DPS Command College in 2017. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University and a master’s degree from the University of Houston-Clear Lake.
New Leadership Takes Over Sept. 1
Bobo and Westmoreland will both be stationed at DPS Headquarters in Austin, with their appointments taking effect Sept. 1, 2026.
The Texas Rangers trace their history to 1823 and today operate as a division of DPS, conducting major criminal investigations, assisting local law enforcement agencies, investigating public corruption and providing specialized investigative and tactical support across Texas.
