The Washita County Sheriff’s Office is taking steps to honor the brave men who gave their lives in service to the people of Washita County. Plans are underway for a Fallen Officers Monument, which will stand proudly in front of the Washita County Justice Center on North McClary Street in Cordell.
The Sheriff’s Office is currently requesting and accepting donations toward the creation and installation of the monument, which will cost $15,700.00. The memorial will feature engraved names of Washita County officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice while protecting their communities.
Currently, there are 11 Washita County officers listed on the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Memorial in Oklahoma City, and eight officers recognized on the National Law Enforcement Wall in Washington, D.C.
In May 2026, during National Police Week, Detention Officer Steven Douglass Rozell will be added to the National Wall. The Sheriff’s Office is also working to add Chief Deputy Claude Hines and Deputy Jesse Whitfield Morris to that same memorial.
To help make this monument a reality, CKenergy has offered to match donations up to $7,000.00, allowing the community to double its impact. Donations can be mailed to: Washita County Justice Center 400 North McClary Cordell, OK 73632 (Please note “Memorial” on the lower left corner of the envelope.)
The monument will be placed between the two flags at the Sheriff’s Office, a highly visible and meaningful spot where citizens and families can pay their respects.
The monument will honor the following officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty: 1.Detention Officer Steven Douglass Rozell, EOW 1029-2021 2.Undersheriff Brian D. Beck, EOW 1-23-2014 3.Deputy Sheriff Douglas Leon Hanna, EOW 4-212013 4.Chief of Police (Canute Police Department), EOW 7-4-1983 5.Deputy Sheriff Clifford Phillip Payne, EOW 6-181977 6.Deputy Sheriff Cleo Meeks, EOW 10-21-1967 7.Chief Deputy Sheriff Claude Hines, EOW 10-131932 8.Deputy Sheriff Fred Hollingsworth, EOW 7-121915 9.Deputy Sheriff Jesse Whitfield Morris, EOW 2-31910 10.Deputy Sheriff William H. Singletary, EOW N/A For Sheriff Kevin Rozell, this project carries deep personal meaning. His brother, Detention Officer Steven Rozell, will soon be added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C. Sheriff Rozell plans to attend the ceremony this coming May to honor his brother ’s memory.
Sheriff Rozell described losing fellow officers as the hardest thing he has ever gone through as an officer. “Dealing with it firsthand is one of the hardest things you’ll ever have to do as an employee,” said Rozell.
Rozell shared that the idea for the monument arose after he experienced multiple losses among his fellow officers. “We left room on this memorial to be able to add names, but that’s something you just don’t ever want to have to do,” he explained. “We want to have one locally to show our respects to the local people who have given their lives in the line of duty, and to give their loved ones a place to come, and for all of us to meet once a year during our ceremony to show our respects here at the Sheriff’s Office.”
He also hopes the monument will serve as a teaching reminder to his deputies. “We emphasize under 100 and wearing your vest, and we want these guys to know that this might actually have to be the ultimate sacrifice.”
Rozell reflected fondly on some of the men who served before him. “Brian Beck, I knew him personally from when he first started in Canute as a police officer. His only goal was to be a police officer, just like the rest of us when we were kids. He was a great deputy and would probably be sheriff right now had he lived.”
Local support for the project has already begun, with Helios and several community members contributing.
Sheriff Rozell expressed gratitude for the generosity shown so far. “These men gave the ultimate sacrifice and lost their lives serving the citizens of Washita County. They gave everything they had to keep the people of Washita County safe.”
He added, “The monument will serve as a constant reminder of what these men did, and it’ll be a positive influence on people, and a lasting tribute to their service.”
The Washita County Sheriff’s Office invites the community to join them in honoring these heroes by contributing to the memorial fund. The goal is to have the monument completed and dedicated in May 2026, in conjunction with National Police Week.
Their watch has ended, but their legacy will forever stand guard over Washita County.