The Seattle Police Department has terminated the employment of Officer Daniel Auderer due to his "vile" remarks caught on body cam footage. The officer made insensitive comments following the death of Jaahnavi Kandula, who was struck by another police vehicle in January 2023, as first reported by KOMO News. Auderer, who was recently elected vice president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild, laughed, suggesting the city should "just write a check" because Kandula had "limited value anyway." Responding to a crosswalk incident that left the 23-year-old fatally injured in South Lake Union, such utterances raised questions about the judgment of those trusted to protect.
The aftermath of this incident saw community members demanding accountability, with some taking to the streets as well as council chambers to protest. "I mean, I think he had no empathy. It is very clear from his statements. He needed to be terminated," said Deepali Jamwal, who, having protested after the tape's release, celebrated the firing as reported by KOMO News. Seattle's Interim Police Chief Sue Rahr emphasized the irreversible breach of trust, with her decision earning support from various oversight groups and the public.
Auderer's remarks were denounced by both community members and officials, with Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell backing Chief Rahr's decision to fire the officer. According to ABC News, Harrell commented that the incident "damaged the public trust we have been working to strengthen since Day One of my administration." Chief Rahr, assigning gravity to the role of law enforcement in community trust, did not mince words, asserting that Auderer's conduct "have brought shame on the Seattle Police Department and our entire profession, making the job of every police officer more difficult."
Despite his termination, the story is expected to continue with potential repercussions. Auderer retains the option to appeal through the Seattle Police Officers Guild to the Public Employment Relations Commission or seek to prevent decertification by the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission, as suggested in a statement to KOMO News. While the Seattle Police Department has provided all necessary records to the Commission, Chief Rahr "declined further comment through a spokesperson on Thursday, citing that it was a personnel issue."
The backlash to Auderer's comments had reverberated widely, leading not only to condemnation from Seattle's local community but also from international entities, including the government of India, as Kandula hailed from there. The officer who struck Kandula, Kevin Dave, was not charged with a felony but received a fine for the negligent driving, as detailed by a NBC News report. Whether Auderer will continue to hold, or has held a position within the officers' guild since the backlash remains unclear.
