Kshama Sawant, a prominent Indian-origin council member in Seattle, has demanded an elected police accountability system in response to a bodycam video where a police officer made controversial remarks about an Indian student’s death. The video showed Seattle Police Officers’ Guild Vice President Daniel Auderer making insensitive comments about 23-year-old Jaahnavi Kandula, who was killed by a police patrol vehicle.
Sawant argued that the existing Office of Professional Accountability has failed to hold the police accountable in the past and called for independently elected community oversight with full powers over the police. She highlighted Auderer’s history of misconduct and lawsuits, adding that such incidents reflect a broader issue of excessive force and impunity in police departments nationwide.
Other council members and officials have also condemned Auderer’s comments and called for immediate action against him and police culture reform.