Francesco Vincent Serpico, a renowned American retired New York Police Department detective, was born on April 14, 1936. He is famously recognized for his courageous act of whistleblowing on police corruption, which had far-reaching consequences.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Serpico worked as a plainclothes police officer in Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Manhattan, focusing on exposing vice racketeering. In 1967, he reported credible evidence of widespread police corruption, but unfortunately, his efforts went unheeded.
In 1970, Serpico contributed to a front-page story in The New York Times, which brought national attention to the issue of police corruption. This led to the appointment of a five-member panel, known as the Knapp Commission, to investigate the allegations.
Tragically, Serpico was shot in the face during an arrest attempt on February 3, 1971, at 778 Driggs Avenue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The bullet severed an auditory nerve and left fragments lodged in his brain. The circumstances surrounding the shooting raised suspicions, with some speculating that Serpico had been taken to the apartment by his colleagues to be murdered. Although there was no formal investigation, Edgar Echevarria, the officer who shot Serpico, was later convicted of attempted murder.
Serpico's story gained widespread recognition after the release of the 1973 film Serpico, in which he was portrayed by Al Pacino, based on the book of the same name by Peter Maas.
On June 27, 2013, Serpico received the "Saint Michael Archangel Prize" from the USA Section of ANPS (National Association of Italian State Police). This honor was accompanied by the presentation of his first Italian passport and the granting of Italian citizenship.
