Former SPD Officer Daniel Auderer files $20M tort claim against the city

SEATTLE — Former Seattle Police Department Officer Daniel Auderer has filed a tort claim against the City of Seattle for $20-million dollars after his firing.

In the claim Auderer says SPD leaked false information about disciplinary proceedings as well as personal information. He claims he was wrongfully terminated and the decision to fire him was retaliatory.

Back in July Auderer was fired by Interim Seattle Police Chief Sue Rahr after Auderer was recorded on his own body camera joking and laughing about the 2023 officer involved fatal pedestrian crash that killed 23-year-old Jaahnavi Kandula. Auderer was on a phone call with Seattle Police Officers Guild President Mike Solan. Auderer was the vice president of SPOG at the time.

In that conversation, Auderer can be heard laughing as he referred to Kandula as “a regular person,” going on to say, “just write a check -- $11,000, she was 26 anyway, she had limited value.”

Officer Kevin Dave hit and killed Kandula with his patrol car in January of 2023 at the intersection of Dexter Avenue North and Thomas Street. Auderer had responded to the scene to conduct a drug recognition test on Dave. According to the timestamp on the bodycam video, Auderer’s phone call about the incident took place the following evening.

This past January, a year after the fatal crash, the Office of Police Accountability concluded their investigation into Auderer’s comments. OPA recommended sustained findings, which started the disciplinary process that ultimately led to Auderer’s firing.

In an internal email sent by Chief Rahr to the department after the July firing she said:

“As I consider all of these factors, there is no doubt that the named officer’s cruel comments and callous laughter about the tragic death caused deep pain to Ms. Kandula’s family, but also immeasurable damage to the public trust of police in the Seattle community, across the nation, and around the world.”

Auderer claims harm to his personal reputation, wrongful termination and mental pain and suffering. He is also claiming lost wages of $200,000 per year. Below is Auderer describing what happened in his own words from the tort claim:

“Seattle PD leaked false information concerning wrongfully initiated disciplinary proceedings as well as my personal information, including my home addresses. SPD then wrongfully terminated me. This was retaliatory at least due to my union leadership.”

The claim was filed on July 25. The city has 60 days to respond, after which a lawsuit can be filed.

KIRO 7 reached out to both SPD and the Seattle City Attorney’s Office and both declined to comment on the claim.

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