Serpico on Serpico

One of the most interesting stories in New York City history is the story of Frank Serpico. The majority of Serpico's fame came after the release of the 1973 film, Serpico, which starred Al Pacino in the lead role, but the real man wasn't out for fame, he just wanted to clean up the streets.

There is a great article entitled 'Serpico on Serpico' from the New York Times that is a must read for anyone who is interested by his story.

Serpico eventually went undercover to expose the corruption of his fellow officers, after being pushed to the brink at first by their distrust and later by the threats and intimidation they leveled against him. There were many things that led to Serpico testifying, including the questionable events that occurred when he was shot during a seemingly routine drug bust.

Serpico was shot in the face at point blank range with a .22 LR handgun. The bullet penetrated his cheek just below the eye and lodged at the top of his jaw; he lost balance, fell to the floor, and began to bleed profusely. Serpico's colleagues failed to place a "10-13", a dispatch to police headquarters indicating that an officer has been shot.

Instead, Serpico was saved by an elderly Hispanic man who lived in an apartment adjacent to the one being used by the suspects; the man called emergency services and reported that a man had been shot, and then stayed with Serpico to help keep him alive until an ambulance arrived.

The profile is a great read. He now lives in semi-seclusion in upstate NY, and is still one of the great bad-asses of his time.