New life for effort to honor longtime Lawton lawman

A Lawton City Council member who was friends with C.H. Brazzel wants to get the ball rolling again on plans to build a statue in the late police officer’s memory.

Brazzel, who had served with Lawton Police Department in various capacities for almost 45 years before his death in January 2020, was a well-known fixture in the community. While many people knew him through his police work, friends and family say Brazzel’s interests extended to anyone who needed a helping hand, and he wasn’t shy about making things happen.

Almost immediately after Brazzel’s death, everyday people and community leaders began talking about “something” to honor Brazzel’s long-time service to those who needed it, with many of those discussions centering on some type of statue that would show Brazzel doing what he loved best, whether it was taking care of long-time friend Raymond McAlister or making life easier for children.

Efforts faded to the back burner until recently, when Ward 8 Councilman Randy Warren told fellow council members he wanted to revive an effort to make a memorial happen.

“I woke up in the middle of the night thinking that I needed to make it a priority and make it happen,” Warren said.

Warren’s original thought was a bust, featuring a plaque with information about Brazzel, his lengthy service to Lawton-Fort Sill, and “how much he loved the children and young adults of Lawton, especially those that were disadvantaged, whether that be physically, emotionally or economically.” But, Warren and others have said they realized Brazzel wouldn’t have been comfortable being placed on a pedestal.

“That simply wasn’t the kind of officer or person C.H. was in life,” Warren said, adding he has been toying with conceptual designs for another type of statue. “So, it struck me that C.H. would have stepped down off the pedestal and placed a child on the pedestal in his place.”

Warren said that’s the image he wants: Brazzel standing at ground level, slightly stooped to pick up a child and place him/her on the pedestal. Information about the long-time Lawtonian could be engraved on that pedestal, along with an explanation of why he is lifting a child into that higher position, rather than taking it himself.

“There also will be two or three other children waiting for their turn,” Warren said, of the image he has in mind.

Warren and others also are exploring ideas about exactly where to place that statue, starting with the Lawton Public Safety Center. That complex on Railroad Street was suggested in 2020 as the ideal site for the statue, and Warren said he still wants to explore the idea. But, he’s willing to look at other places.

“I will find an appropriate, highly visible and prominent location,” he said.

Funding for the project will come from residents, citizens groups and local businesses, Warren said, adding he is searching for a non-profit organization that can accept and hold the funds, then buy the statue when enough funding is available.

“It will be a custom statue that will be an actual likeness of C.H.,” Warren said, smiling. “The only question is which likeness should we use: the 25-year-old, 40-year-old or 60-year-old C.H. I knew him during all those times, and that makes it very hard to choose.”