NEW ORLEANS — After initially saying that it was believed that police officers did not pursue the vehicle that crashed into Beauty-1 Salon in Broadmoor, killing both people inside the car and injuring four people inside the shop, NOPD is shifting its position.
Police Chief Shaun Ferguson said late Thursday that the department is opening a formal investigation into that attempted traffic stop.
“Through further investigation, we have gathered additional factors that warrant a formal investigation into a possible violation of the NOPD vehicle pursuit policy," Superintendent Shaun Ferguson stated in an emailed statement.
RELATED: 'They got people in there!' Video shows hectic moments after car slams into salon, sparking fire
NOPD's policy on pursuing vehicles attempts to balance public safety and the catching criminals.
“Officers may engage in a pursuit only when they have a reasonable suspicion that a fleeing suspect has committed or has attempted to commit a crime of violence,” the section on Vehicle Pursuits in NOPD's operations manual says.
According to Ferguson, the officers involved initiated the stop because the car matched the description of a stolen car. The vehicle did not stop when police deployed their lights and instead sped up, eventually crashing into the beauty shop.
Authorities were still piecing together the circumstances that led the two teen-aged occupants of a car to flee from police Wednesday night, crashing into a beauty salon on Washington Avenue. The teens were killed in a fire that erupted on impact, and four people inside the salon were injured.
Police initially ruled out any type of high-speed pursuit by officers. That scenario would seem to adhere to the department’s policy.
In fact, police chase scenes may be common in movies, but in real life they are rare. Especially in New Orleans.
That’s because of a restrictive pursuit policy in the New Orleans Police Department’s operations manual.
The policy covers 14 pages, but the most important elements are covered up front: vehicle pursuits are prohibited unless the suspect has been involved in a violent crime and a suspect’s escape poses a danger.
Former NOPD Superintendent Ronal Serpas said the policy has been on the books for more than 20 years, but has been continuously updated and tightened, including under his command.
Story continues under gallery
3 dead as car slams into beauty salon, causing major fire
“All the years I was a chief, we worked really hard to tighten these policies so that other people, innocent people, wouldn't be hurt,” Serpas said. “And we all know the tragic events when that happens. Yesterday was a tragic event.”
Serpas said officers can usually identify a car and driver after the fact.
“We go to murder scenes every day and we hardly know anything,” he said. “We go to robbery scenes every day and we hardly know anything. And we still manage to find the people responsible.”
The policy is based on safety.
“This policy governs vehicle pursuits in order to protect the safety of involved officers, the public, fleeing violators, and property,” according to the policy.
Added Serpas, “With that much weight, that much danger, with that much speed, the officers are in danger, the community's in danger, take a deep breath.”
Serpas said that following every nuance of the policy can present challenges to officers when they are facing split-second decisions when the adrenalin is pumping, but in those cases, the manual spells out the protocol for notifying a commanding officer.
“Let a supervisor make the call,” Serpas said.