Serpico
Serpico refers to someone who exposes corruption within their own organization, especially law enforcement.
The term comes from Frank Serpico, a New York City police officer whose testimony about widespread police corruption in the early 1970s led to major reforms.
To call someone a Serpico suggests both courage and the isolation that often follows whistleblowing: He went full Serpico and reported everyone.
Italian-American film legend
- 1973Early seventies date
- NYPDMajor city's police abbreviation
- corruptionDishonest abuse of power
- whistleblowerInsider who reports misconduct
undercover · cop · drama · biography · shooting · beard · hippie · plainclothes
Major city's police abbreviation
- 1970sFourth decade, twentieth century
- New YorkNortheastern metropolis and state
- detectiveProfessional crime investigator
- shootingDischarging a weapon
police reform · Greenwich Village · retirement · Switzerland · activism · memoir · real-life · badge
Pacino
Italian-American film legend
- 1973Early seventies date
- NYPDMajor city's police abbreviation
- corruptionDishonest abuse of power
whistleblower · undercover · cop · drama · biography · shooting · beard · hippie · plainclothes · crime
NYPD
Major city's police abbreviation
- 1970sFourth decade, twentieth century
- New YorkNortheastern metropolis and state
- detectiveProfessional crime investigator
shooting · police reform · Greenwich Village · retirement · Switzerland · activism · memoir · real-life · badge · plainclothes
corruption
Dishonest abuse of power
- exposureState of being unprotected
- testimonySworn statement as evidence
- integrityMoral soundness and consistency
betrayal · isolation · retaliation · threats · courage · ethics · honesty · reform · investigation · bribery
- 70s CinemaThe Godfather, Star Wars, Taxi Driver, Chinatown, Apocalypse Now
- cop filmsBeverly Hills Cop, Lethal Weapon, Hot Fuzz, RoboCop, Dirty Harry
- 1973Watergate, oil crisis, Roe v Wade, Yom Kippur War, Skylab
- Lumet Films12 Angry Men, Dog Day Afternoon, The Verdict
- thrillerssuspense, thriller, nail-biter, page-turner, cliffhanger
Serpicodirty cop
Corrupt law enforcement officer
crooked cop · bent copper · blue wall of silence · bag man · bagman
Serpicocompany man
Employee devoted to employer
yes-man · organization man · team player · careerist · conformist
Serpicoloyalist
Faithful supporter of authority
blue wall of silence · code of silence · team player · organization man