Seattle Police Officer Fired for Belittling Andhra Woman's Death

Kurnool: Seattle police officer Daniel Auderer has been sacked for his controversial comments following the death of a woman from Adoni, Kurnool, last year in an accident involving a speeding police car.

The accident occurred when officer Kevin Dave, who was driving at more than 119 km an hour while responding to a drug overdose call on January 23, 2023, struck Jaahnavi Kandula. The impact threw the victim 100 feet away, killing her instantly. However, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office dropped charges against Dave.

Kandula had moved to Seattle in 2021 to pursue a master's degree in information systems at Northeastern University.

While speaking about the incident, Seattle Police Officers Guild vice-president Daniel Auderer callously suggested that a monetary settlement was sufficient compensation for Kandula’s death. “Yeah, just write a cheque. Just. Yeah. $11,000. She was 26, anyway. She had limited value,” he was heard saying in bodycam footage.

The footage, which showed Auderer laughing about the incident, sparked widespread criticism and led to his reassignment to a non-operational position.

In response to the tragedy, Seattle’s department of transportation designated the intersections of Thomas and Dexter Avenue North, where the accident occurred, as the city's first protected area to improve pedestrian safety. The investigation into Auderer's comments continued, ultimately resulting in his dismissal.

Sue Rahr, Seattle's interim police chief, condemned Auderer’s actions, stating that they had brought shame on the Seattle police department and made the job of every officer more challenging.

Seattle Mayor Bruce Allen Harrell, Joel Merkel, co-chair of the Community Police Commission, Lisa Judge, director of the city’s Office of Inspector General, and others supported the decision to terminate Auderer.

The interim police chief, in a departmental email, wrote, "The actions of this individual police officer have brought shame on the Seattle police department and our entire profession, making the job of every police officer more difficult, It is my duty as the leader of this organisation to uphold the high standards necessary to maintain public trust. For me to allow the officer to remain on our force would only bring further dishonour to the entire department. For that reason, I am going to terminate his employment.”