Assistant police chief who displayed Nazi insignia on his office door is paid $1.5m to resign

An assistant police chief who displayed a Nazi insignia on his office door has been paid $1.5m to resign from his role at the top of a police department in Kent, Washington.

Derek Kammerzell was paid the staggering sum as part of a months-long legal settlement, which saw his lawyers demand more than $3m, The Seattle Times reported on Friday.

Made of oak leaves and diamonds, Mr Kammerzell allegedly displayed the symbol of the Obergruppenführer, a high-ranking class of SS officer, on his office door in September 2020.

Nazi figures including Heinrich Himmler and Rudolf Hess, who were responsible for the deaths of an estimated six million European Jews in the Holocaust, were assigned the title.

Former colleagues of the assistant police chief reportedly told investigators that he used the nickname “Obergruppenführer” and posed for photos wearing lederhosen.

Mr Kammerzell also “had his facial hair shaved in the form of a Hitler moustache,” it was alleged, having been inspired by his own German heritage and the sci-fi series “The Man In The High Castle”, which features a “Nazi American” character.

He was placed on a two week suspension in the immediate aftermath of the incident in September 2020, before later being put on paid leave amid a full investigation into allegations of antisemitism.

Members of Washington’s Jewish community last year called for the City of Kent Police Department to force Mr Kammerzell to resign for the displaying of a Nazi symbol and other allegations.

In a statement on Friday, the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle said although “it’s disturbing that an individual who elevated and honoured Nazi imagery and titles and joked about the Holocaust should receive a $1.52m settlement, we know the City of Kent had limited options.”

The statement added: “We believe they worked to create the best possible outcome by ensuring that Kammerzell does not return to his role as a law enforcement officer.”

In a statement of its own, the City of Kent acknowledged that the settlement was a “substantial sum,” but said that it had made “numerous attempts” to negotiate a smaller settlement with the assistant police chief’s lawyers.

“We strongly believe that settling this matter will be a substantial step towards meeting our commitment to the community,” the city said.

Mr Kammerzell, who reportedly admitted to placing the Nazi insignia on his office door,  denied “expressing any positive sentiments about either Nazis or fascist governments” during the police department’s investigtion.

The department argued that it was not possible Mr Kammerzell “would not understand the Nazi affiliation” of the symbol placed on his door.

The Independent has approached the Kent Police Officers Association, whose attorney’s represented Mr Kammerzell, for comment.