Tragic Death Sparks Changes in Cheyenne Police Procedures

The Cheyenne Police Department in a media advisory Friday afternoon said it has concluded its internal investigation into the death of 22-year-old Cheyenne resident Aiden Hall, the suspected DUI driver who shot and killed himself while handcuffed in the back of a police car on Jan. 18.

 RELATED: Suspect in Cheyenne DUI Crash Takes Life While in Police Custody

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Case Background

According to a previous news release, officers detained Hall after learning that he had crashed his pickup. They say he showed signs of intoxication and admitted to consuming alcohol.

Prior to cuffing and stuffing him, they removed a pocketknife from his front pocket, then transported him back to the crash scene, where they briefly stepped away to assess the scene and prepared to begin a DUI investigation.

During that time, Hall was able to move his handcuffed hands from behind his body to the front of his body, retrieve a concealed firearm from inside his pants, and use it to take his own life.

Police Conclude Internal Investigation

"The administrative review was a comprehensive and thorough process, involving a detailed examination of all available information, including body-worn and in-car camera footage from the incident, as well as a critical assessment of existing departmental policies, training, and procedures," the department said.

"The review identified opportunities to enhance and clarify departmental procedures related to the search and transportation of individuals in custody," the department added.

Proactive Measures

As a result, the department says it's implementing several proactive measures.

"Policy FLD610, pertaining to the transportation of persons in custody, has been updated to provide greater clarity and reinforce best practices regarding the supervision of individuals during transport," the department said.

"In addition, department-wide in-service training will be conducted to ensure all personnel are familiar with these updated procedures," the department added. "This training will focus on prisoner handling, transport protocols, and supervision requirements to prevent future incidents."

Policy Violation

The department says it also found a policy violation through its review but didn't elaborate.

"The personnel aspects of this incident have been addressed in accordance with established departmental procedures and disciplinary policy," the department said. "As mandated by Wyoming state law, matters relating to personnel performance and discipline are confidential and, therefore, cannot be disclosed further."

"Any loss of life that occurs while an individual is in our custody is a deeply serious event," said Chief Mark Francisco. "This comprehensive review was conducted to ensure we are doing everything possible to prevent such a tragedy from occurring again."

"We are dedicated to learning from every critical incident and will continue to serve the Cheyenne community with professionalism and integrity," Francisco added.