NEW ORLEANS — When news got around Saturday evening that New Orleans Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick hit two people with her SUV, Eric Hessler was paying attention.
“This accident was handled like any other accident,” said Hessler.
An attorney for the Police Association of New Orleans, Hessler, says accidents involving officers naturally come with a higher level of scrutiny.
“Police spend the majority of their careers, most of them driving around in cars. So, accidents are going to happen. They’re not uncommon,” said Hessler.
Hessler says what is uncommon, compared to the past, is how this crash was handled.
“The administrative policies that are in place were followed, including drug and alcohol testing, which is standard for any other police officer. In the past we haven’t always seen that for a certain rank or certain status,” said Hessler.
Police say Kirkpatrick was on duty in her department-issued SUV when she hit two people on Iberville Street in the French Quarter. A woman was treated for minor injuries. A man was uninjured. Speaking exclusively to WWL Louisiana Monday, Kirkpatrick said she didn’t see them.
“If I had seen them I probably would have not, we wouldn’t have had the accident,” said Kirkpatrick.
Police say Kirkpatrick’s breathalyzer result was 0.00. The results of a urine test are still pending. Kirkpatrick said she had just visited an officer in the hospital before the crash happened.
“It’s not like she blew through an intersection or anything else. It was simply an accident,” said Hessler.
Hessler says Kirkpatrick’s comments speak to promises of transparency and accountability she made when she took over as chief last Fall.
“Maybe it could have been avoidable, maybe not. It doesn’t change the fact that it was an automobile accident,” said Hessler.
Watching it play out, Hessler believes the investigation will be done correctly and that any punishment will be fair.
Once the NOPD completes its investigation, the case will be handed over to state police. As of Tuesday afternoon, the NOPD reported the investigation was still ongoing and state police had not received any information.
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