A Seattle police officer is facing possible disciplinary action after being caught on camera making insensitive jokes about a woman's death, local officials say. The Office of Police Accountability (OPA) ruled that Officer Daniel Auderer's comments about 23-year-old Jaahnavi Kandula, who was struck and killed by another officer a year ago, were derogatory and violated department policies.
Auderer, who was not involved in the fatal incident, was recorded laughing and making light of the situation on the phone, stating that Kandula had "limited value" because she was 26 anyway. An employee within the Seattle Police Department brought the bodycam footage to the attention of the OPA, prompting an investigation. Despite Auderer's claim that he was mocking the legal system's callousness, the OPA found his behavior inappropriate. According to KING 5 News, Auderer was administratively re-assigned to a non-operational position following the discovery of the video.
The OPA's findings were sustained against Auderer, paving the way for a discipline meeting on Tuesday with the Seattle Police Department's chain of command. The recommended disciplinary actions will then be forwarded to the chief of police. OPA Director Gino Betts Jr. was quoted by KIRO 7 News stating Auderer's words were “derogatory, disturbing, and inhumane.” And that the officer's comments undermined public trust in the department, himself, and his colleagues, thus confirming, fairly or not, beliefs that some officers devalue and conceal disparaging views about community members.
Meanwhile, officer Kevin Dave, who was involved in the actual collision that led to Kandula's death in January of 2023, is still under review by the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. The details of the case are being closely watched, and updates are anticipated to be made public once a decision is reached. The case number attributed to Auderer's investigation is 2023OPA-0336, and interested parties can track the progress of all OPA investigations through the City of Seattle's platforms.
