Last surviving female officer from group of women who made history at OCPD celebrates birthday

By Jason Burger

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    OKLAHOMA CITY (KOCO) — The last surviving female officer from the group of six women who made history at the Oklahoma City Police Department celebrated her birthday.

Iona Braswell was one of the first female officers in OCPD.

“It taught me not to be so afraid of things, you know? You can’t be afraid and do things like that, you just can’t,” Braswell said.

Braswell just turned 90 years old but still remembers every little detail back in 1955 when she joined the department.

“Instead of giving us the regular uniform, the mayor’s secretary picked it out for us,” Braswell said.

Some details stick out more than others.

“We were making $50 less a month than the men were,” Braswell said.

Recommended Police LightsOkarche officers bring man back to life after police say he overdosed It wasn’t all about the money. She is one of the original six female officers the department ever had.

Every day she’d come into work in uniform, which included a skirt along with the badge.

“What they hired us for, was to write parking tickets. We had an area from Harvey to Broadway,” Braswell said.

The task may seem simple enough but she said it came with risks. Much like police work today, anything can happen.

She said she was lucky to escape after she wrote a driver a parking ticket.

“I went around and went across in front of her, and she tried to run me down, and I knew she was going to come back and park there anyway. So, I just waited for her,” Braswell said.

She called for backup and took the driver into custody. What she didn’t know at the time was the impact she’d have on the future of the police department.

“I was the first African American female promoted to the rank of captain, major, and the first female period, as deputy chief,” said Vashina Butler, deputy chief OCPD.

Butler said she’s going on 32 years with the department.

“Without them laying the groundwork, I’m not here,” Butler said.

She gives credit to the original six.

“Thank you. And that’s not enough, but that’s the largest words I have. Thank you, thank you, thank you,” Butler said.

Decades later, one thing remains the same.

“We’re women, and we want to serve just like the man does,” Braswell said.

Braswell eventually left the department after five years when she decided to marry her husband, who was also an officer with OKC police.

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