In mid-July, the Seattle Police Division (SPD) tossed one in every of its juiciest unhealthy apples, one thing I doubted would occur. Seattle Police Officers Guild (SPOG) Vice President Daniel Auderer’s laughter and associated feedback following the demise of 23-year-old Jaahnavi Kandula disturbed extra than simply the individuals of Seattle–they made their method as much as the US State Division. From an accountability perspective, the lesson I discovered from this episode is that each one it takes to fireplace a cop is an efficient argument, sound proof, and a smidge of worldwide outcry.
Like many officers earlier than him, I think about Auderer will file both an enchantment or a declare towards the Metropolis for his termination, so we’ll in all probability hear extra from him sooner or later. Within the meantime nonetheless, SPD Interim Chief Sue Rahr nonetheless must determine what to do with SPD Officer Kevin Dave, who truly hit and killed Kandula in January 2023 as she crossed by a crosswalk. The Workplace of Police Accountability (OPA) paused its investigation into Dave whereas the King County Prosecuting Lawyer’s Workplace (KCPAO) reviewed the felony investigation into his conduct, however the company has not but resumed its investigation, regardless of the KCPAO deciding to not file expenses. Plus, the Metropolis Lawyer’s Workplace issued Dave a ticket, marking the efficient finish of any felony investigation.
Whereas Dave’s OPA case stays in limbo, Publicola has unearthed Dave’s harmful driving historical past, which SPD officers knew about earlier than hiring him. Regardless of these findings, Amy Sundberg on the Urbanist has identified that neither the mayor, the town council, nor SPD has mentioned something about potential considerations relating to SPD’s hiring requirements. As an alternative of speaking about how you can enhance the screening and hiring course of for SPD officers, metropolis leaders stay laser-focused on how you can do it sooner.
For this week’s Dangerous Apples we’ll study the fruits of SPD’s hiring course of, together with a ultimate examination into the investigation and termination of Auderer.
A Snicker Heard Around the World
Case #2023OPA-0366
On January 23, 2023, Auderer drove to the scene of Dave’s collision with Kandula in South Lake Union. On the best way, he referred to as SPOG President Mike Solan. As the 2 mentioned the collision, Auderer’s body-worn video captured him laughing after saying “however she is lifeless,” after which speaking casually a couple of fictional future settlement settlement, saying, “Yeah, simply write a examine. Simply, yeah [laughter]. $11,000. She was 26, anyway. She had restricted worth.” He adopted his assertion with what the OPA report described as “4 minutes of full-bellied pronounced laughter.”
In Rahr’s disciplinary motion report, she referred to as Auderer’s feedback “merciless” and his laughter “callous.” Auderer has maintained that he made these feedback whereas mimicking what a lawyer would possibly say to attempt to decrease a cost to Kandula’s household.
The OPA introduced in Solan to elaborate additional on the dialog with Auderer. All through the dialog with OPA, Solan invoked his proper to not share some particulars of the dialog as protected union speech. He answered questions on his aspect of the dialog solely to again up Auderer, and he claimed he couldn’t keep in mind some particulars as a result of their dialog had occurred 10 months previous to his OPA interview.
Within the report, the OPA identified that when the video of Auderer first got here to gentle, each Auderer and Solan mentioned that the context of their dialog would “clear the air.” Nevertheless, OPA investigators discovered that after interviewing each Auderer and Solan “twice, inconsistencies, irrationalities, and refusals to reply polluted their explanations.”
The OPA sustained two coverage violations towards Auderer, one for making unprofessional feedback about Kandula’s demise and one other for violating the division’s bias-free policing coverage, attributable to Auderer’s feedback about Kandula’s age. The OPA advisable a disciplinary vary of a 30-day suspension or termination. Rahr in the end selected to fireplace Auderer.
In 2023, Auderer made $154,000 in wage. Beneath the brand new SPOG contract, he’s anticipated to obtain about $60,900 in again pay.
A Snippy Cease
Case #2022OPA-0172
On June 1, 2022, Officer Daniel Espinoza pulled over a person driving in South Seattle for allegedly making an unlawful U-turn and failing to sign whereas altering lanes and turning.
The person informed OPA investigators that when Espinoza pulled him over, the officer requested for his license, registration, and proof of insurance coverage. The person gave over his license and registration however mentioned he wanted to drag up his insurance coverage card on an utility on his telephone. That app, nonetheless, wanted to be up to date.
Whereas the person waited for the replace, Espinoza started rattling off an inventory of visitors violations, at which level the person requested the place Espinoza had seen these violations. Espinoza demanded the insurance coverage card once more, however the man repeated his request. After a little bit extra forwards and backwards, the person requested Espinoza to name a supervisor to the scene, and Espinoza refused. The person then referred to as 911.
Over the telephone, the 911 dispatcher heard Espinoza inform the driving force he’d obtain his quotation within the mail earlier than driving away from the scene. The person later informed OPA investigators that Espinoza hadn’t waited for him to supply insurance coverage data and had pushed away from the cease like he wanted to “chase a homicide suspect.” The dispatcher additionally famous that Espinoza had not recorded any visitors cease in that space at the moment.
The person by no means obtained a quotation from SPD, and OPA investigators additionally discovered that Espinoza didn’t write a quotation till after the person filed a criticism towards the officer. Espinoza informed investigators he’d filed the ticket on the day of the cease, after which later realized it hadn’t gone by the submitting queue.
The OPA sustained 4 coverage violations towards Espinoza; one for failing to be courteous and respectful through the visitors cease, one other for performing unprofessionally, one other for failing to write down up the ticket by the tip of his shift, and the final for failing to name a supervisor to the scene. The OPA has but to launch the complete report on him, and the general public OPA database doesn’t record what disciplinary actions SPD might take towards him.
Espinoza made about $226,000 in 2023. Beneath the brand new SPOG contract, he’s anticipated to obtain about $87,600 in again pay.
Two Hours of Work, 10 hours of Pay
Case #2023OPA-0510
On July 25, 2023, Officer Autumn Arbogast attended a coaching on SPD’s new department-issued gun and holster. The teacher reported that Arbogast fell asleep throughout a part of the classroom firearm coaching, and he screamed at her after she repeatedly broke security protocols by drawing her personal gun behind the firing line.
The sergeant then informed Arbogast she’d have to return for extra coaching however that she may report again to her unit for the remainder of the day. Arbogast as an alternative went dwelling. Regardless of spending simply two hours on the vary, SPD paid her for 10 hours of coaching. When interviewed by OPA, Arbogast mentioned she believed the sergeant informed Arbogast to go dwelling, to not return to her unit. The sergeant mentioned he believed Arbogast believed that.
The OPA discovered Arbogast violated the division’s professionalism insurance policies, and SPD issued a written reprimand for her conduct.
Arbogast’s disciplinary historical past consists of 4 suspensions, in keeping with DivestSPD. She additionally achieved notoriety in 2015 after she “bungled” an investigation into a person groping individuals in Westlake.
Arbogast made about $278,000 in 2023, and underneath SPOG’s new collective bargaining settlement, she is anticipated to obtain about $103,000 in again pay.
