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Frank Serpico

Terms in this set (44)

Where did this take place?
New York
What day was Serpico shot?
Feb. 3, 1971
What hospital did he go to?
Brooklyn Jewish Hospital
What happened on Feb. 3, 1971
Serpico was shot in the head and the bullet tore through his facial muscles, crashed through his left sinus, and hit his jawbone. His face was swollen to twice his normal size and a bloody fluid oozed from his ear. Doctors not sure he'd live.
When in the hospital what was given to Serpico?
An envelope with a printed message. This message wrote Recuperate Quickly, but the Recuperate part had been crossed out and was now written Die Quickly.
Who was the card from?
It was not signed, but Serpico was sure it was from a fellow cop.
Why was Serpico sure it was from another cop?
Because only a member of the New York Police Department would have sent such a vicious message to Serpico. Most of the men and women working there either hated or mistrusted Serpico.
Why did most of the people at the Police Department hate Serpico?
Because Serpico broken number one rule of force, he had exposed the corruption of his fellow officers. In their view, Frank Serpico has squealed.
When did Serpico become a police officer?
In early 1960
What type of cop did Serpico want to be when he first joined the Police Department? What did being a cop mean to him?
He just wanted to good, honest cop. Being a cop meant upholding the law, protecting honest citizens form outlaws, and setting a good example for society.
What did being a cop mean to most of Serpico's co-workers in the 81 Precinct?
It meant having a good, steady job with the opportunity to make lots of money.
On Serpico's early days on the force, what did he see was happening?
Many cops beat their suspects, others slept on the job, demanded free meals from local restaurants in return for special favors, or worst of all, most officers in the precinct accepted bribes.
What at first were the bribes?
Small amounts, like $30 or so for letting someone get away with traffic violation
What happened when Serpico moved up into the plainclothes division?
The problem of graft was much bigger than that. Virtually all the plainclothes cops were corrupt. Almost all of them accepted many thousands of dollars of bribes each year.
Where did the bribes come from in the plainclothes? What did the cops with the bribes do?
People operating illegal gambling rackets. The cops allowed the gamblers to continue their illegal activities, in exchange for some money.
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