A former Seattle police officer, Daniel Auderer, has been fired from his position after making insensitive comments about a woman who was fatally struck by another officer's cruiser in a crosswalk. The incident occurred in January 2023 when Jaahnavi Kandula lost her life. Auderer, who was tasked with determining whether the responding officer was impaired, stated that he was "absolutely not" mocking the woman's death when he said she "had limited value."

Interim Police Chief Sue Rahr took the decision to terminate Auderer's employment last month, citing the inappropriate comments made by him. The comments were recorded on Auderer's body camera in a conversation with police union President Mike Solan. In the video, Auderer described Kandula as "a regular person," suggested the department "write a check," and can be heard laughing. These statements brought immense criticism and scrutiny upon Auderer.

Since his termination, Auderer has maintained that his comments were taken out of context and denied any intention to mock Kandula's death. In an interview with conservative talk show host Jason Rantz, he expressed remorse for the impact his words had on Kandula's family and stated that it weighs heavily on his soul.

Auderer has also filed a $20 million tort claim against the city, alleging wrongful termination and retaliation due to his union leadership role. The Seattle Police Officers Guild, of which Auderer was the elected vice president, has not yet commented on his claims or revealed whether he retains any role within the union.

In response to the incident, Chief Rahr released a department-wide email expressing her disappointment, stating that Auderer's actions "have brought shame on the Seattle Police Department and our entire profession." She emphasized the importance of upholding high standards to maintain public trust in law enforcement.

The Office of Police Accountability, responsible for investigating allegations of misconduct, became aware of Auderer's comments after a complaint was filed by a concerned Seattle Police Department employee. The guild claimed that Auderer's comments were taken out of context and released a letter Auderer had written to the Director of the Office of Police Accountability to explain his intentions when making the remarks.

Auderer alleged in his interview that the Office of Police Accountability leaked the complaint against him to the Community Police Commission in an attempt to target him for his union activism. Both offices have not yet responded to requests for comment.

Seattle Police Department commanders recommended disciplinary actions to Chief Adrian Diaz, suggesting a minimum punishment of 30 days off without pay or termination for Auderer's actions. However, they disagreed with the Office of Police Accountability's finding that Auderer's comments displayed bias based on Kandula's age.

The incident has raised concerns about the conduct of police officers and highlights the importance of maintaining professionalism and sensitivity when interacting with victims and their families. It remains to be seen how Auderer's appeal of his firing and the pending litigation will unfold.