Peace Officer Memorial Honors 1877 Death

A ceremony honoring Peace Officers who died in the line of duty takes place tomorrow morning at 11am. Its held at the Wyoming Law Enforcement Academy in Douglas and happens in conjunction with National Police Week.

Casper Police Chief, Chris Walsh, says the ceremony this year in Wyoming honors an officer who died over 130 years ago.

"His name is Adolf Cuny and he was killed on July 27th 1877 working for the Laramie Sheriffs Department."

Walsh says his story had been lost over time and recently re-discovered.

"And I don't remember how the officer's name was discovered, but as I remember, it was determined he was the first law enforcement officer in Wyoming to be killed in the line of duty."

His name will be added to the memorial at the base of the flag pole at the Academy in Douglas

The 11am ceremony is preceded by a motorcycle procession to the Law Enforcement Academy that starts at the Douglas Best Western parking lot at 10:45.

A flyover by the Civil Air Patrol opens the ceremony.

In attendance will be Governor Matt Mead and State Attorney General, Gregory A. Phillips. The Governor will make comments as part of the ceremony.

Here's more on the story of Officer Adolph Cuny

from the Wyoming Law Enforcment Academy Website

The details of that first loss go like this;  On July 22, 1877, Adolph Cuny was deputized by Deputy Sheriff Charles Hays to assist in the apprehension of Clark Pelton and his gang for numerous stage coach robberies of the Cheyenne to Deadwood stage line near Fort Laramie.

Deputy Cuny and Hays apprehended Pelton. Deputy Hays continued after the remainder of the gang while Deputy Cuny began escorting the prisoner back to Laramie. Near Fort Laramie, after stopping at a local ranch for provisions, an accomplice of Pelton’s murdered Deputy Cuny by shooting him in the back and then helped Pelton escape.

In 1879, Sheriff Draper determined that Pelton was serving time in a Minnesota penitentiary under an alias name for other crimes committed there. Upon his release, the Sheriff arrested Pelton for the conspiracy to murder of Deputy Cuny and transported him back to Wyoming for trial. Pelton served 4 years on the lesser included offense of manslaughter for his role in Deputy Cuny’s death.