Though they had nearly 1,700 citizen complaints by the time the commission convened, the most credible evidence would have to come from inside the department. [14], Serpico retired on June 15, 1972, one month after receiving the New York City Police Department's highest honor, the Medal of Honor. Born into an Italian-American family, young Serpico idolized the NYPD cops who patrolled his neighborhood in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn. [8], Serpico was shot during a drug arrest attempt on February 3, 1971, at 778 Driggs Avenue, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. He later went to the Bureau of Criminal Identification (BCI) for two years, and then became a plainclothes officer… When he was eighteen, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served for two years in Korea. Consequently, bookmakers and drug dealers often operated openly out of storefronts, while prostitutes openly advertised and often plied their wares in various "red-light" sections of the city. I Should Know", Serpico addresses contemporary issues of police violence. He was living his dream. But when the door was opened and Serpico rushed it, it was slammed on his shoulder and head, wedging him halfway inside. But Serpico did not blend in with the other cops in Brooklyn’s 81st Precinct. In September 1959, Serpico joined the New York City Police Department (NYPD) as a probationary patrolman. [3], Serpico was a plainclothes police officer working in Brooklyn, the Bronx and Manhattan to expose vice racketeering. He was then assigned to plainclothes undercover work, in which he eventually exposed widespread corruption. "[27], On August 19, 2017, Serpico gave a speech which was broadcast live on Facebook as he stood with NYPD police officers in New York City on the bank of the East River at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge in support of Colin Kaepernick, for his protests alleging a culture of police brutality. About: Frank Serpico. To this day he has shrapnel in his head and is deaf in one ear. The real-life Serpico argued consistently with Lumet over the accuracy of the movie, and eventually, walked away from partaking in the movie altogether. This included taking the suspect to a coffee shop across the street from the police station. Frank Serpico now lives in upstate New York in a secluded cabin with not a neighbor in sight, but he ventures into the city for protests and causes he believes in — ever the whistleblower. Serpico was flamboyant and charismatic. Serpico is a 1973 biographical-crime film directed by Sidney Lumet and starring Al Pacino. He returned to the U.S. briefly in June 1974 to deliver a nomination speech for Ramsey Clark, candidate for United States Senator, at the New York State Democratic Party's convention in Niagara Falls. Because Serpico gradually grew a thick beard and long … Therefore, the most important result that can come from these hearings ... is a conviction by police officers that the department will change. Bill Tompkins/Getty ImagesFrank Serpico at the Quad Cinema movie theatre on August 9, 2004. [25], Among police officers, his actions are still controversial,[26] but Eugene O'Donnell, professor of police studies at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, states that "he becomes more of a heroic figure with every passing year. After this look at the true story of Al Pacino’s character Frank Serpico, read up on Frank Lucas, the real-life figure behind the Hollywood hit ‘American Gangster.’ Then, check out the true story behind the infamous John Paul Getty III kidnapping. His police colleagues refused to make a "10-13" dispatch to police headquarters, indicating that an officer had been shot. He fired back, striking his assailant,[10] fell to the floor, and began to bleed profusely. Ten months later, Serpico had been transferred to the Narcotics division of the New York City Police Department. Frank Serpico was profiled in a documentary film in 2017 and he was made world-famous as the subject of Sidney Lumet’s film, “Serpico,” which starred Al Pacino as the whistleblowing cop. Serpico was flamboyant and charismatic. [9], The police arrested the young suspects, and found one had two bags of heroin. Frank Serpico is a former New York City cop whose anti-corruption stance made him unpopular in the NYPD. After military service, he worked part-time and attended college, joining the New York City Police Department at the age of twenty-three. Serpico barely survived. He made a huge mark on the NYPD that lasts even to this day. Serpico was born in 1932 in Brooklyn, New York to parents Vincenzo and Maria Serpico. Frank Serpico is about to make an arrest at a heroin dealer’s apartment. He realized then he was looking down the barrel of a gun. Francesco Vincent Serpico (born April 14, 1936) is a former New York City Police Department (NYPD) Detective. Frank Serpico was a New York City police officer during the 60s and 70s who fought against the disgusting levels of corruption. Serpico doesn’t believe this recognition came from a genuine place, however: “They handed the medal to me like an afterthought, like tossing me a pack of cigarettes. Serpico believed his partners knew about his secret meetings with police investigators. At the age of 17, he enlisted in the United States Army and was stationed for two years in South Korea as an infantryman. Serpico climbed up the fire escape, entered by the fire escape door, went downstairs, listened for the password, then followed two suspects outside. Serpico was quoted, "I am here to support anyone who has the courage to stand up against injustice and oppression anywhere in this country and the world. He holds both American and Italian citizenship. Frank Serpico in 2013 .User:Joeyjojo86, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. [9], His only child, son Alexander, was born March 15, 1980, out of marriage. William DeLong is a freelance wordsmith. Frank Serpico was the first officer to expose corruption inside the New York City police department. But what series of events brought the brave cop to that harrowing moment? Frank Serpico was born April 14, 1936 to two hard-working and highly principled Italian immigrants proudly making their way in the new world. In 1973, he lived with a woman named Marianne (a native of the Netherlands), whom he wed in a "spiritual marriage"; she died from cancer in 1980. He was well known in and around Corwen and frequently mixed in the town's pubs. [7] Mayor John V. Lindsay appointed a five-member panel to investigate accusations of police corruption. “The atmosphere does not yet exist in which an honest police officer can act without fear of ridicule or reprisal from fellow officers,” Serpico stated. He decided to return to the United States afterwards. Lindsay did not take action and Durk then took Serpico to The New York Times. "[28], As a result of Serpico's efforts, the NYPD was drastically changed. [24] He lost the election. [15] He went to Switzerland to recuperate, spending almost a decade living there and on a farm in the Netherlands, and traveling and studying. And I have a right to be disappointed.”. Serpico called for help, but his fellow officers ignored him. [3] Serpico later received a Bachelor of Science degree from City College of New York. Although Lindsay tried to discredit Serpico, the Timesconfirmed what Serpico had reported. Francesco Serpico is now an Italian citizen: during the same ceremony, he received his first Italian passport after extended research by the president of ANPS USA, Chief Inspector Cirelli, who established the Jus sanguinis, allowing him to gain Italian citizenship. Serpico was born in Brooklyn, New York City, the youngest child of Vincenzo and Maria Giovanna Serpico, Italian immigrants from Marigliano, Naples, Campania. Both men resolved to take their information to The New York Times. Criminal justice experts call Serpico a true reformer who helped effect real change in law enforcement, but the ex-cop is less positive about his legacy. Frank Serpico was a New York City police officer during the 60s and 70s who fought against the disgusting levels of corruption. The problem is that the atmosphere does not yet exist, in which an honest police officer can act ... without fear of ridicule or reprisal from fellow officers. Here are a few examples: Rotten Apples – The officer acts corruptly alone and it would have been best not to hire them in the first place. So of course he was a man that was really known in New York. Serpico’s colleagues also begged him for an arrest because their weapon was discharged during the attempt and did not want to do paper work as to the reason why. After military service, he worked part-time and attended college, joining the New York City Police Department at the age of twenty-three. I was made to feel that I had burdened them with an unwanted task. “They took the job I loved most. Serpico, a cop himself, ended up getting shot in the face when fellow officers wouldn’t come to his aid when confronting a suspect. He kicks in the door and waits for his fellow cops to assist. Serpico knocked on the door, keeping his hand on his revolver. In later years as he got older and better established, he relocated to 251 W. 74th Street in upper Manhattan where he did most of his business. Finally, he contributed to an April 25, 1970, The New York Times front-page story on widespread corruption in the NYPD, which drew national attention to the problem. Frank Serpico was a police officer in the 1960s that was excited and nervous about it at the same time because of what the job entailed. To some, this hearing and the commission to investigate corruption which came with it made a world of difference. [4][5], On September 11, 1959, Serpico joined the New York City Police Department (NYPD) as a probationary patrolman, and became a full patrolman on March 5, 1960. He was finally assigne… What users say about Frank Serpico He made a huge mark on the NYPD that lasts even to this day. He was brought along on the arrest of a drug dealer in a Latino neighorhood of Brooklyn because he spoke Spanish. He also relished his job and sometimes made arrests when off-duty or in other cops’ territory. Two policemen, Gary Roteman and Arthur Cesare, stayed outside, while the third, Paul Halley, stood in front of the apartment building. Serpico, by nearly any measure, was an eccentric and a free-spirit — going by Lumet’s movie and Al Pacino’s performance as Frank, Serpico was an earnest man on a mission, and nearly from the time he joined the police force was considered a … NYPD Patrolman Frank Serpico Serpico was determined to become a detective and his supportive boss, Captain Fink, submitted a recommendation for a plainclothes assignment. [30], On June 15, 1972, Serpico left both the NYPD and U.S. to move to Europe. Frank Lucas, the real-life figure behind the Hollywood hit ‘American Gangster.’. The officer retired in 1972 and traveled the world. He was assigned to the 81st precinct, then worked for the Bureau of Criminal Identification (BCI) for two years. When he was eighteen, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served for two years in Korea. Ultimately, though, his whistleblowing efforts to call out the wrongdoing of the force and restore its reputation made him a symbol of honor, and his story was the subject of an acclaimed 1973 film starring Al Pacino. Four officers from the Brooklyn North police command had received a tip that a drug deal was about to take place. About: Frank Serpico. Frank Serpico – The New York Police Department Whistleblower Posted on September 15, 2018 May 29, 2020 by Adrian Farrell When Frank Serpico saw what was inside the envelope he had just been given, he knew immediately he was facing the crisis of his life. Accompanied by a couple of backup officers, Serpico was instructed to just get the apartment door open “and leave the rest” to his colleagues. Serpico, who was a consultant on the film, was appreciative of Pacino’s acting chops but butted heads with director Sidney Lumet. A US Army Veteran, Frank Serpico joined the New York City Police Department in September 1959 and remained on the force for a dozen years. He enjoyed the finer aspects of life like art and ballet and the orchestra, in stark contrast to the macho conservatives who made up the majority of the force. At the age of 84, Frank Serpico is still the man of integrity, always siding with the underdog, who in 1971 unleashed an earthquake inside the New York … [10] Edgar Echevarria, who had shot Serpico, would subsequently be convicted of attempted murder. There was no formal investigation. What’s more, Serpico’s spirit was slowly crushed as he witnessed the rampant corruption in his precinct. Frank Serpico - Net Worth, Bio, Spouse, Quotes - Famous People … The panel became the Knapp Commission, named after its chairman, Whitman Knapp. [23], In 2015, Serpico ran for a seat on the town board of Stuyvesant, New York, where he lives, his first foray into politics. Al Pacino as Frank Serpico in the 1973 film, Serpico. “An honest cop still can’t find a place to go and complain without fear of recrimination.