frank serpico american policeman

Frank Serpico is a retired New York City police detective, author, lecturer and policing expert. He was born on April 14, 1936 in Brooklyn, New York. His mother, Maria Giovanna, was born in Ohio and moved back to Italy when she was a young girl. His father, Vincenzo, was born in Italy. Frank enlisted in the U.S. Army at the age of 18 and served for two years in Korea. When he returned home he worked part-time as a private investigator and youth board counselor while he attended college.
Frank joined the New York City Police Department on September 11, 1959 at the age of 23. He was a police officer for 12 years, during his last several years on the force, his attempts to report police corruption to his superiors in the department fell on deaf ears. After a harrowing interrogation by U.S. Customs officials upon returning from a European vacation, Frank finally decided to go to the New York Times. A New York Times expose was subsequently written on police corruption in the New York City Police Department which prompted then Mayor John Lindsay to appoint Judge Whittman Knapp to head the Knapp Commission to investigate the pervasive problem of corruption in the New York City Police Department. Frank was shot in the face during a "buy and bust" operation on February 3, 1971 and later that year testified in front of the Knapp Commission regarding his ordeal in trying to report police corruption within the ranks of the NYPD. Many people believe that Frank was set up by the police in order to silence him. he finally talked on police corruption and had a movie made about him.He continues to live in our hearts and this is why i am writing about him.