Topic: Frank Serpico

New York City Police Department (NYPD)

Francisco Vincent Serpico (born April 14, 1936) is a retired New York City Police Department (NYPD) officer who is most famous for testifying against police corruption in 1971. The majority of Serpico's fame, however, came after the release of the 1973 film, Serpico, which starred Al Pacino in the lead role.

Serpico was born in Brooklyn as the youngest child of Italian immigrants from Marigliano, in the province of Naples, Campania. His parents were Vincenzo and Maria Giovanna Serpico. At age 18, he enlisted in the United States Army and spent two years in Korea. Later, he worked as a part-time private investigator and as a youth counselor while attending Brooklyn College.