LAWTON - After 35 years as a first responder, the last five as Comanche County — Lawton Emergency Management director, Clint Langford is stepping down.
In a Friday, email, Langford notified County Commissioners Ryan John, Josh Powers, and Johnny Owens, along with County Clerk Carrie Tubbs and Lawton City Manager John Ratliff, of his decision. He gave three weeks’ notice.
“Please find attached my formal letter of resignation from my position as Emergency Management Director for Comanche County-Lawton Emergency Management. My resignation will be effective at the close of business on Friday, October 9, 2026.
“I appreciate the opportunity to have served Comanche County, the Comanche County Facilities Authority, the City of Lawton, and our community. During my remaining time, I will make every reasonable effort to support an orderly transition and provide information regarding the office’s ongoing responsibilities.”
Langford had served almost three decades as a first responder — at Fort Sill, he climbed through the ranks from firefighter to Fire and Emergency Services chief — when he was hired Aug. 31, 2021, by the Comanche County Facilities Authority to serve as the county’s emergency management director.
“I’ve been involved with emergency services since 1991, when I was 16,” he told Southwest Ledger on Friday. “I’m looking forward to not being on call 24 hours a day.”
However, he added, “I won’t completely retire yet. I’m working on something in private industry.”
“Clint will be missed; his resignation is a great loss to the county and we thank him for the years he gave us,” Powers said. “His experience as a first responder and a leader has been a great benefit to our county. Clint improved the system and made that office better; he turned that office around. Whoever replaces him will have a big pair of shoes to fill.”
“Clint is a great man, a good Christian man, and I know he’s prayed about his decision,” Owens said. “I can’t say enough good things about him. He’s been on call 24 hours a day; I’m sure he needs to spend more time with his family. And sometimes a guy just wants to do something else. I have all the respect in the world for Clint Langford and I wish him the very best.”
Mike W. Ray is a fifth-generation, award-winning journalist who has more than 55years’ experience covering municipal, county, state and federal government in Oklahoma and Texas. He can be reached at mike.ray@swoknews.com.