Frank Serpico
The documentary chronicles the extraordinary life of Frank Serpico, now 81, as a whistleblower within the New York Police Department. As a young officer in the NYPD of the 1960s and 70s, Serpico refused to take part in the systematic bribery schemes that permeated the force.
His persistent attempts to report the corruption to his superiors were consistently ignored, forcing him to go to the press and to the Knapp Commission in 1971. The revelations led to sweeping reforms, but they also made Serpico an outcast among his colleagues.
The film explores the personal cost of Serpico's integrity, including the near-fatal gunshot wound he suffered during a raid in 1971 — an incident many believe occurred because his fellow officers deliberately failed to back him up. Having survived both the attack and the betrayal, Serpico left both the police force and the United States.
The 2017 documentary shows an older Serpico, still living in exile in Europe, reflecting on his fight against corruption and the price paid for standing by one's principles. His story remains a powerful example of courage and personal integrity in the face of systemic corruption.
