OKLAHOMA CITY – Lawton Police Chief James Smith recently received an award named in honor of famed lawman William “Bill” Tilghman.
The award was presented to Smith at the annual Oklahoma Law Enforcement Museum and Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, in recognition of his “service and dedication to law enforcement” in Oklahoma.
President Richard DeLaughter said Smith deserved the award because of his “dedication and professionalism” as he endeavored to provide the highest levels of service. Smith’s willingness to “go the extra mile” within the law enforcement community is an attribute that places him in a unique fraternity of individuals who strive to 'make a difference,' DeLaughter said.
“I am deeply humbled and profoundly grateful” for the award, Smith said. “This recognition is not just for me, but a testament to the unwavering commitment and tireless efforts of every member … of the Lawton Police Department. It is a reflection of the trust and support we receive from the resilient citizens of our community and the City of Lawton. Together, we stand united in our dedication to serve and protect.”
Smith, who came to Lawton in 2012 after a 30-year law enforcement career in Kentucky, is the first police officer from Lawton and Comanche County to receive this honor. He joined a long list of past and present law enforcement supporters and professionals who have entered the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Hall of Fame.
Other Hall of Fame honorees include:
• Bass Reeves, a runaway slave who became one of the first Black deputy U.S. Marshals west of the Mississippi River, mostly working in Indian Territory.
• Delf “Jelly” Bryce, an Oklahoma City policeman and FBI agent, active from 1928 to 1958, who earned a reputation for being an exceptional marksman and fast draw.
• Scott Rowland, presiding judge of the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals, formerly an assistant state attorney general, and previously general counsel to the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drug Control.
• Former Oklahoma Attorney General Drew
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• Bill Tilghman, Chris Madsen and Heck Thomas, officers known as “The Three Guardsmen” who were credited with bringing law and order to Indian Territory which later became Oklahoma.
Tilghman, namesake of the award bestowed on Chief Smith, served as city marshal of Dodge City, Kansas; was appointed city marshal of Perry, in Noble County, in 1893; captured notorious outlaw Bill Doolin while serving as a deputy U.S. Marshal in Oklahoma; and served as the police chief in Oklahoma City for two years.
In 1924, at the age of 70, Tilghman entered Cromwell, Oklahoma, an oil boomtown in Seminole County, as a special investigator. He was murdered by a corrupt U.S. prohibition agent who was himself killed in a gunfight several years later.