New SPD Chief Fires Officer Who Mocked Woman’s Death
Decision flies in the face of the Council's opposition to Police Accountability
Sue Rahr Steps in and Leads
The Seattle Police Department’s Interim Chief Sue Rahr has fired Daniel Auderer, the man who laughed about the violent death of a young woman named Jahnaavi Kandula, who was recklessly run over by an SPD officer while she was in a crosswalk.
SPD’s Ugly History & Conservative Coddling
Rahr’s decisive move surprised many people who have watched the Seattle Police Department’s long history of impunity and the City Council’s recent attempts to preserve that ugly status quo.
For decades, the department has distinguished itself on the national stage as one that fails to deliver accountability for officers who violate civil rights or other rules of policing, tolerates sexual harassment, engages in autocracy-style violence in crowd-control settings, and embarrassed our city when it supplied more officers to the January 6th insurrection than any other police department in the country, among other things.
In taking this action, the interim Police Chief is behaving exactly as progressive politicians called for in the last election–promoting basic accountability–while the conservatives dither and do nothing about it.
In fact, during the election, conservatives and the partially Republican funded PACs backing them acted like calls for basic police accountability were blasphemous, or really just “defund” in disguise, and that anything but empty boosterism was somehow anti-police and anti-public safety.
Fortunately, Ms. Rahr is undeterred by such reactionary and simplistic impulses, and here did the common sense thing.
Even the usually pugnacious Paul Chapman, Chair of the 43rd district Democrats, expressed his delight and astonishment with Rahr’s action.
Ten months, to be exact.
A Bit of Backstory
This officer that Rahr fired is the #2 guy in the police union. He ignited a global outcry when he was caught on tape laughing about the violent death of a young woman caused by the reckless driving of another police officer.
It’s worth noting that the officer whose car killed Jahnaavi Kandula was hired equally recklessly by our department, which knew of his history of bad behavior and out of control driving, showcasing what seems like contempt for the life of Seattle civilians. Auderer’s chuckle-fest was with the head of the union, Mike Solan, a man famous for, among other things, blaming January 6th on leftists and Black Lives Matter.
Centrist Opposition to Accountable, Prepared Policing
Since then, the Chair of the Seattle City Council’s public safety committee, Bob Kettle, said “we don’t have the luxury of being picky about police test scores.” (These tests are meant to uncover problems like bias and judgment under pressure in policing.) Kettle seems to think the answer to our problems simply requires empty statements about how SPD is the best in the country.
But unlike Bob Kettle and the council that gave him that chairmanship, a council full of politicians who campaigned on public safety but who never managed to articulate a real safety plan, and as soon as they were on council dodged their chance to build accountability into the police contract, interim Chief Sue Rahr is not fooling around.
Rahr Sends a Clear Message
Rahr did not mince words when firing Auderer. According to the Seattle Times, she circulated an email to the department that said:
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 organization 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 dishonor to the entire department. For that reason, I am going to terminate his employment…I believe the impact of your actions is so devastating that your intent to keep them private is not sufficiently mitigating. Your individual actions have brought lasting shame on the Seattle Police Department, disgrace on our entire profession, and made the job of every police officer more difficult.
Perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised. Ms. Rahr started off by contradicting the frivolous claims of conservatives on the council that propelled them into office. But it is extremely encouraging to see that someone takes accountability seriously after so little action in the past. These are strong words and they send a clear message, one backed up with action.
We will see how far that goes, but I’m pleased to see the progress.
What Comes Next?
One way or another, I’ll be watching with curiosity. Which vision will win?
Interim Chief Sue Rahr’s vision, which addresses bad action with swift, sure accountability, and the Bruce Harrell who appointed her?
Former Chief Adrian Diaz’ vision, which dithers in the face of bad action, and allows a culture of harassment, abuse and impunity to fester, and the Bruce Harrell who appointed him, covered for him, and praised him to the end?
Or the dominant reactionary impulse on the council , which keeps fighting for police to be able to continue to act out of line with impunity.