(Siren blares)
Car 2-1-1-8. Call Greenpoint Hospital
and tell them we're bringing in a wounded cop.
'All right. 10-4. Thanks a lot.'
(Phone rings)
8th Precinct. Yeah.
Jesus Christ.
Guess who got shot.
Serpico.
Do you think a cop did it?
I know six cops said they'd like to.
(Siren blares)
(Phone rings)
- Hello? - 'Sidney? '
New York Times. Serpico's been shot.
Oh, my God!
- 'They're taking him to Greenpoint.' - I'll see you there.
(Sirens blare)
(Man) 'To be a police officer means to believe in the law'
and to enforce it impartially, respecting the equality of all men
and the dignity and worth of every individual.
Every day, your life will be on the line.
And also your character.
You'll need integrity, courage, honesty,
compassion, courtesy,
perseverance and patience.
You men are now prepared to join the war against crime
and put the theory you have learned into practice in the streets.
- Same time, same place, both reports. - I already made out a full report.
- Are you covering this, Lieutenant? - Yes, Chief Green.
- Who was with Serpico? - Heinemann and Julio.
I want them interrogated. I want this conducted as an official investigation.
Transcripts by 9:00 am.
- And I want a 24-hour guard on Serpico. - Yes, sir.
You two, over there.
(Sirens blare)
(Man recites names and audience applauds)
'Ralph Sighton.'
Frank Serpico.
Frankie!
Come on, Marianne wants a good shot.
Get closer!
Sir?
Upstairs. See the roll call man.
Take a map and memorise your post and sectors.
This week you're 8:00 to 4:00.
Grab an empty locker. Any questions, the older guys will help. Good luck.
Yo! 8:00! Let's go! Come on. Gather round. Let's go.
All right. Settle down.
There's just a few announcements today, and two new men.
On the board on my left you see Squad One, Blue Sector.
Squad Two, Red Sector. Squad Three, Green Sector.
We want summonses, summonses, summonses.
- This is Frank Serpico, Charlie. - Hello, Frank.
- How about some cream chicken? - Sounds good to me.
No, I think I'll have... how about a roast beef on a roll?
Yeah, OK. You go through the line. I'll bring it over.
Peluce, it's all fat here.
- I saw real lean beef over there. - Take it easy. Sit down.
- What's the matter? - Don't be so fussy. It's free.
I'm not fussy but I don't know how I'm going to eat this.
Charlie's an OK guy. We give him a break on double-parking on deliveries.
Couldn't I pay for it, get what I want?
Frank, generally you just sort of take what Charlie gives you.
'Sector D, David, 10-34, possible rape in progress.
'Vicinity of PS 2-18, Grand Avenue and BQ Expressway.'
- Becker, aren't we going to take that? - Relax, Frank. It's not our sector.
It's on the borderline.
I'm gonna take it.
D Sector, 15-47, 10-4.
(Woman) Oh, my God!
Hold it! Hold it! Police officer!
Oh, shit!
Don't shoot. Be cool.
All right. OK. Put your guns away. Put your guns away now.
Come on! I said put the motherfucking guns away!
I'll cut her, goddamn it.
Turn the motherfucking light out, man.
I'll cut her, man. I'll cut her. You just be cool, goddamn it.
Just be cool. All right.
All right. All right. That's it.
Other one... took his thing out.
He put it up to my mouth.
He held me down.
They said if I didn't do it... they'd kill me.
- She's gonna make a helluva witness. - Would you like a stretcher?
Muscles, he's all yours. I'll call you from the hospital.
OK. Who were your playmates?
- Hey, Frank, do you want a piece of this? - No. I'll fill out the arrest card.
Hey, Charlie. Let me have five minutes with him?
- Sure. - Thanks.
Thank you, Charlie.
That prick really worked you over. How do you feel?
- How come you didn't stay for the fun? - That's not my kind of fun.
I want to talk to you. I want to get you a cup of coffee.
Without cuffs.
Now, look. I didn't touch you upstairs, right?
You take off on me, I'll put one in your back. Understand?
Come on.
Goddamn shame you're gonna take this whole rap yourself.
Maybe you're guilty, maybe you're not.
Maybe you just went along for the ride. I got a feeling you did.
You're the one who got caught. You never even got your cock out.
- Put it in the report. - It's in the report.
Look at you.
- I can't eat. - No, you can't.
I don't understand you, you know that?
What are you, obligated to those guys? Fuck it!
They left you holding the bag. You don't owe them nothing.
They're gonna put you away, you know that?
What can I get?
Let's see. Kidnapping. Sodomy. Rape.
Are you kidding me?
Here.
You talk to me. Save yourself.
You're not going to send someone over? McCoy, I get one, I'll lose the other.
Look, Serpico, that's Muscle's case. He's off for a few days. I can't cut it.
- They're here now! - 'Lt'll keep.'
No, it won't.
Police officer! Hold it! Hold it! Turn around!
Come on, man. Come on. Please take that gun from my head.
Turn around slowly.
We'll take it from here. You don't have to hang around.
What are you talking about? That's my collar.
We take the collar.
A collar like this, it don't look good if a patrolman takes it.
I don't care how it looks. I did the work. I broke my ass on this. It's my collar.
You really want the collar? You can be brought up on charges.
You left your post, you left the street,
entered the schoolyard without permission, that's just for openers. Right, Penella?
No memo entry? Shit, you'd be lucky to end up with a reprimand.
We'll give you an assist on the arrest, kid.
Jim, get out of the way. What are you doing over there?
What do you want me to do? Cross the street?
- Hey, Frankie. - Hi!
- Hey, Pasquale. - Hey, Frankie. How you doin'?
- OK. How you doin'? Where's Pop? - Be back in a half hour. How's it going?
- OK. I've come to get my shoes. - Yeah.
Warm it up! Warm it up!
- Oh, here they are. - Frankie, how you doin'?
OK. Good job. You people do good work here.
So... how you doin', Frankie?
You keep asking me that. What's the matter with you? I'm doing OK.
I thought you were coming over Saturday night.
I'm sorry, Pasquale. I couldn't make it.
Margaret invited Marianne over. Marianne was very disappointed.
Nah, look. I don't like that.
Don't invite people over if you're not sure I'm gonna come. I mean it now.
- If I want to see Marianne, I'll call her. - What's going on with you two?
Hey, Pasquale. I'm going to tell you something.
All day long I work with cops. Right?
Now when I go out, I see Marianne,
her father's a cop, her brother's a cop, her uncle's a cop.
I got a feeling she's a cop.
Come here. How you doin' on the job?
- It's got its problems. - Mama tells me you need an apartment.
- Is that true? - Yeah.
Where are you going?
I don't know. I'm looking around by the school.
- NYU? Greenwich Village? - Yeah, Greenwich Village.
- This neighbourhood's not good enough? - Tell Pop I was here.
- Yeah. Frankie! Sunday? - Sunday what?
Dinner. Huh?
- Do me one favour. - I know, I know. No Marianne.
All right, a couple of announcements.
Announcing a course in fingerprint identification at John Jay College.
The course will be available to patrolmen who wish to make themselves eligible
for assignment to the Bureau of Criminal Identification, BCI,
which is a path to a detective's gold shield. Signed Captain McGuire.
On the board on my left, you'll see Squad One...
- Hot enough for you? - It's not the heat, it's the humidity.
I had a feeling you were going to say that.
You know how long you've taken on that one?
Check one print category. Two. That's plenty.
I'm not going to give a guy a "No Record" when he might have a record.
How long have you been with the BCI, Serpico?
All my life.
That's long enough to know how we do things.
Barto. It's not just that.
You don't like me.
BCI never had a weirdo cop before.
Barto. Stop bugging me.
(Conversation in Italian)
(Sings in Italian)
# Bom-bom-bom-bom-bom-bom-ba #
Hey. Wanna buy a puppy?
I don't know.
Where'd you get these dogs?
Oh, they're mine.
Want one for free?
Ah... no, I'll pay for it. How much are they?
$5.00.
You got it.
OK. Which one of you guys wants to come with me?
- (Whimpers) - What?
Come on.
- Will you do me a favour? - What?
Watch the car and my stuff as I'm moving in?
- Yeah. - Thank you.
(Speaks Spanish) Don Quixote: Actor or lunatic?
(Continues in Spanish)
Senorita Lane?
- Mr Serpico. - I've got my horse here.
- Maybe I could drop you somewhere. - I'm going to work at the Cafe Reggio.
Cafe Reggio. That... erm...
- That's Fourth Street and... - McDougall and Third.
- That's it. Can I give you a lift? - Sure.
Jesus, what's that?
You've got your hands on my money belt. Don't do that.
That's not a money belt. That's a gun.
We've gotta eat, don't we?
- What do you need a gun for? - Ever hear of Barnum and Bailey?
- Yeah. - I'm their lion tamer.
- Come on. - It's the truth.
- I think you're full of shit. - You do, huh?
- What do you do? - Oh, me? I'm an actress.
A singer, a dancer and a Buddhist.
In that order?
- I'm a cop. Would you believe that? - No, I wouldn't believe it.
(Sings)
- Leslie. Leslie. - Yep?
Those leaps that guy made. What do you call them again?
- Jetes. - Jetes?
You try it.
All right. How do you start it? What's your position?
Comme ca.
Next life. Come on.
What are you reading now, Serpico?
My Life, by Isadora Duncan.
She was a ballet dancer.
A belly dancer?
No. A ballet dancer. Ballet.
You know ballet?
- A little. - A little bit, huh? You ever see one?
Not close.
I've been to the ballet. It's terrific.
- I've been taking classes, you know. - Oh, yeah?
Yeah. That's where I go after I leave here.
Fantastic for your body. It really builds you up.
- I can tell. - You noticed, huh?
- I noticed. - There's five positions, you know that?
- Five? You're being short-changed. - No, that's enough, believe me.
- For what? - Watch.
See? This is the first position.
From this position, I can do anything.
- Want to see? - Sure.
Here we go.
Bye!
- Lieutenant Steiger, I... - No. Later.
- Hey, turn off the lights. - Oh, Potts, I wanted to read.
Positions, positions. Positions like that you don't see in a Pretzel factory.
How am I going to do my pee-pee in the dark?
She's got to be a nympho with positions like that.
Serpico, how can you piss at a time like this?
Barto wants a specimen.
I'll look into this matter.
- What have you got there? - Here.
Straight ahead.
- Straight ahead where? - Third window down.
- I don't see anything. - Let me see.
Oh, she just pulled down the shade.
- You've got to be some kind of jinx. - That's right. Blame me.
Hold it, Serpico. What were you two doing?
In the shithouse in the dark. Were you going down on him?
- What are you talking about? - You weren't doing a little peeping Tom.
- You were sucking his cock, weren't you? - What are you, crazy?
I'll show you fuckin' crazy. Last week I found a pair of shorts with semen on 'em.
There.
You're actually accusing me of this?
Good morning, Captain McClain. I'm Officer Serpico.
I was told I could talk to you, sir.
Oh. Certainly, son. Come in.
Lieutenant Steiger won't make a report.
He's too concerned with the image of his department.
But it... it could affect your future at the BCI.
Sir, I tell you... er... frankly, I don't see any future there.
It's all bullshit about it being a career path toward being detective
- because I've been there two years now... - And you want a transfer.
Yes, sir. But I don't want to go back to Uniform.
I'll see what I can do, Frank.
Francis, do you know about my weekend retreats for Catholic officers?
No.
You read that. It might be of interest to you.
You are a Catholic, aren't you?
- Yeah. I was baptised. - Good. Good.
Alfie, come on.
Paco! Ooh, missed you, baby!
- She's so crazy, that girl. - Why "Paco"?
All my friends call me Paco. Could you do me a favour?
- Get my keys out of this pocket for me. - Sure.
Well erm... what'll I call you?
Frank or... Paco?
Paco.
(Swinging jazz)
- Leslie! - Sally!
Oh, Larry! This is Paco.
Larry's a poet but he works for an advertising agency.
And Sally's an actress but she works for a photographer.
- Paco's a policeman. - Oh... that's terrific.
- I work for the Police Department. - That's really nice.
Pat's a novelist but you're working for an insurance company now, aren't you?
- Yes, I am. - Yeah.
- Paco's a policeman. - Really? How exciting!
Not too. Right now I'm filing fingerprints.
I file insurance policies.
- We should get together and file... - Hey, that was an improvement.
I want to ask you something.
How come all your friends are on their way to being somebody else?
Think about that.
I want to ask you something else, too. Will you do me a big favour?
Don't tell anybody I'm a cop.
- Let me just sorta do it myself. - OK.
Hey, man, are you really a cop?
- That's right. I am. - Wow.
- Leslie is a mind-fucker. - You got to be kidding.
I didn't know that. What's a mind-fucker?
Well, it's a chick who digs intellectual types and super bright guys.
She's very perceptive.
Japanese culture and theatre and painting is too rigidly stylised.
You know. Yeah, but...
I think after a while when you get through that
you start to appreciate the clarity, the authority.
I got a sheepdog.
There have been sheepdogs in my family dating back...
for sixteen generations.
Dating back to the Borgias.
The family crest is a sheepdog pissing into a gondola.
Paco, everybody loves you! I love you!
Officer Serpico reporting, sir.
That fuckin' thing on your lip? It goes. And get a haircut.
- Er... sir? - That's an order.
You look like an asshole with dentures.
- Do I have the right of appeal, sir? - Sure.
Go see Captain Tolkin. You got one foot in shit already. Put the other one in.
Where might that be I wonder, sir?
Thank you, sir.
That is one hell of a moustache. I wish I had the guts.
I have what I consider to be good reasons for wearing it, sir.
- You don't have to tell me. - I'd like to, sir.
I thought so.
I think it's time that we started to communicate more on the streets.
The way it is, we're totally isolated, sir.
We're completely out of touch with what's happening.
An undercover cop in disguise wears blacks shoes and white socks.
Everybody knows who he is.
You've made your point. I want you to keep your moustache.
And I'd like you to patrol in your own car, wear whatever you want.
- How does that strike you? - I'd like that, sir.
- All right. - To be honest, I'm bucking for detective.
- No shit. - No.
(Alarm)
Hold it!
What the hell are you doing?
Oh, Christ.
Get against the wall.
Hey! I'm a police officer!
Get over there. Hey! It's me, Serpico!
Hey, I'm a police officer! Police officer!
- I'm a police officer! - Jesus, Frank!
How was I supposed to recognise you?
- You stupid fuck. - Frank, I didn't know you!
You didn't know me? You fire without looking?
You fire without a warning, without a fucking brain?
Oh, shit.
If I buy one, you motherfucker, I'm not gonna buy it from you.
Holy shit, look at that mess.
- Filling out forms till next month. - Good.
Jesus, Frank, I know this is a helluva time to ask you...
but I'll have to go through all that ballistics bullshit.
- Good. You should. - It'll look bad with nothing to show for it.
Frank, do me a favour.
Give us the collar?
You motherfucker.
You want the collar? You don't want to fill out forms?
Here.
- You're a buddy. - Oh, I'm a buddy.
Only you tell Tolkin I gave it to you.
I am passing out these marijuana cigarettes for you to sample,
so that when you become plain clothes men,
you'll be able to identify the pungent aroma
and recognise the disorienting effect of the drug
when you observe them in narcotics suspects.
Among users of the drug,
a marijuana cigarette is referred to as reefer,
stick, roach, joint.
The drug itself is referred to as pot,
tea, boo, stuff, grass.
Hey, this is real good shit.
- I gotta have something to eat. - Oh, look what it is.
Look what it is. It's a potato factory is what it is and I have to have some.
I love it, I love it.
We have nothing to... I have to have a dime?
- It goes in the little slot. - That doesn't work. It's from the civil war.
- Pull on it. - It doesn't, doesn't, doesn't, doesn't.
- Go ahead. - It should shoot out. Please! I beg of you!
Come out, potatoes! Come out!
- You're pretty fuckin' weird, for a cop. - Me?!
- What about you? - You're the weird guy.
- You! You're a fuckin' hippy. - It's beautiful, though.
The two of us.
Gimme.
Where are you supposed to go from here?
9-3 Precinct. Plain Clothes. Put your gun away.
You?
I am scheduled to go...
on special assignment with the Mayor's Department of Investigations
Detective Squad.
- That's gold shield. - Yeah.
No four years in Plain Clothes?
- Who do you know? - I make it my business to know people.
- People who can help. - Unfair.
- Life is unfair, man.
You've got a feel for the streets and I've got a feel for the politics, I guess.
You and me in one Bat Mobile could clean up the city in no time.
I wonder if we can get candy out of this machine.
No, thanks.
Well, this is a good place to tell you, Paco.
You know that guy in Texas I was telling you about?
Yeah.
- What about him? - I'm going to marry him in two months.
Unless you marry me.
What about the theatre and the dancing?
A girl has to get married some time.
Well, you're a long way from some time, Leslie.
I thought you were committed.
I am but...
You are but...?
I can go on working and studying there.
Where? Fort Worth?
Amarillo.
Amarillo?
Am I invited to the wedding?
I'll ask Roy.
It's pretty good in this precinct. There you go.
Usually a nine-to-five day is the best time for policy and bookmaking.
But if you have to work nights, like liquor violations, just call in.
Don't worry about quotas right now. A couple of hooker collar's will keep it cool.
Serpico. Been holding this for you.
It's from Jewish Max.
First day on the Precinct I get that.
This is great, Frank.
I can open a whole can of peas with this.
It's scary. I want to protect myself.
OK. You know what we do with this?
We take it to Inspector Kellogg.
- Kellogg? - Yeah.
Kellogg? Didn't he used to be in Plain Clothes?
He's the second highest-ranking cop in the Department of Investigations.
I happened to be instrumental in getting the man his job.
He owes me, you understand?
He's the most honest cop I know, Frank.
Frank... trust me.
Things like this were common practice in the bad old days.
Hard to believe it's still going on.
Serpico, don't you think it's kinda stupid taking an envelope
from somebody you didn't know?
Erm...
What was I supposed to do? How would I know what was in it unless I took it?
You er... you have two alternatives.
You can force me to take you to the Commissioner of Investigations.
- He'll drag you in front of a grand jury. - I don't want that.
I can understand that. Word will get out.
Before it's all over, they'll find you face-down in the East River.
- What's the other alternative? - Forget it.
Well, what do I do with this?
- Hey, sarge? - Yeah?
- Got a minute? - Yeah.
A coloured cop gave me this. I don't know what to do with it.
Yeah. I'll send it on to the Benevolent Association.
(ltalian opera)
Alfie.
Is that Bjorling?
No. It's Di Stefano.
I was sure it was Bjorling.
No.
You can hear it better over here.
- That's an invitation, right? - Right.
Coffee?
I'll have to take a rain check. I'm due at the hospital.
Why don't you call in sick? Perfect place.
(Laughs) Not me.
Are you dedicated or something?
That's right. I'm dedicated. Most men can't stand it.
- What do they know? - I like your garden.
Hey. Love my garden.
OK. I love your garden.
- You know what they say, don't you? - No. What do they say?
If you love a man's garden, you've gotta love the man.
You like her, Alfie?
All I can tell you is I gave it back.
I've got to get out of the 9-3.
What happened on your Narcotics application?
It was all set until I told them I was in Plain Clothes, and that was it.
It was like the kiss of death. They think everybody in Clothes in on the take.
Sir, do you know anything about the Bronx 7th Division?
I can go there if I want, but if it's the same shit, screw it.
I'd rather answer phones for the Spanish Communications Unit and go nuts.
Come on, Alfie.
Frank, did anyone ever tell you
that you have a tendency towards self-pity?
- No, you're the first. - All right.
I have a friend up there. Roy Palmer. He's an administrative officer.
- I'll speak with him. - Good. Thank you, sir.
- Bye, Francis. God bless you. - Thank you.
(Phone rings)
- Yeah? - 'Frank? Captain McClain here.'
- Captain McClain. Hold on a minute? - 'Sure'.
- Yeah. Sorry. - Frank. I saw Inspector Palmer tonight.
He says the 7th Division is as clean as a hound's tooth.
His words. "Clean as a hound's tooth."
'I told him that he was getting a hard-working officer.'
Wears a beard, speaks Spanish. He'd make a superb undercover man.
- He was delighted. - That's good news, sir.
- Thank you. Thank you very much. - 'Good night, Frank. God bless.'
When did you start doing that?
McClain says that Palmer says that the 7th is as clean as a hound's tooth.
Well, if that's true, your problems are over.
Plain Clothes Division?
Upstairs.
Frank! How are you? Good to see you! We heard you were coming up here.
Say hello to Nate Smith. Frank Serpico.
- Jaime Morales, Frank Serpico. - Serpico.
You'll love it up here. It's beautiful.
I'll see you later. Take a ride with me. I've got to make a collar.
- Maybe I should check in. - Fuck that. Come on.
# Deck the hall with boughs of holly
# Fa-la-la-la-la, fa-la-la-la #
...dollars if Minnesota. Right.
Green Bay twelve and a half at...
You dumb fuck. We told you this location's hot. We told you to stay out of here.
Keogh. Nobody told me. Honest.
Bullshit. Let's take a walk.
- All right, a C-note a piece. - No way. We got a complaint. Right?
- Come on. - All right, make it two hundred, Keogh.
Are you getting cheap in your old age, bambino?
- Three. - Three?
- You heard me. - All right. Three.
I'll make it a light one.
- Hey, Frankie. - Yeah?
- Want to write this up? - No, I'm gonna check in.
- Take the collar. Get on the sheet. - I better check in.
Hey, Frank.
We'll have a talk later, right?
That dumb schmuck only came up with two bills because I booked him.
- Here you go, Frank. - No, it was your collar. Keep it.
I had a hunch you weren't going to take it.
Frankie, we got a call about you from downtown. I ain't saying who.
They just said you couldn't be trusted, you know?
- Cos I don't take money, right? - Frank...
Who can trust a cop who don't take money?
You are pretty weird, you know, kid?
With that call and all, the guys were getting a little worried.
I told 'em you were OK. I knew you. You'd never hurt another cop. Right?
You'd never hurt another cop, would you?
- It'd depend on what he did. - That's the wrong answer, Frank.
Frankie...
(Kettle whistles)
We're not doing anything bad here.
We're skimming a little gambling money. It's clean. It's not dope. Hurts nobody.
Frank, a gambler's a gentleman. They'll operate anyhow, right?
Keogh, you don't have to explain yourself to me. Do what you gotta do.
- Want some tea? - I don't like that shit. I'll have a coffee.
What's the matter? What are you worried about?
Listen, we don't go overboard here. We're not sloppy. We're careful.
The spics, the niggers, we bust them cos they operate so dumb
they get your ass in hot water every time.
But the Italians are a different story. They're men of their word. They're reliable.
- You've got it analysed. - You're fucking right I have. It's worth it.
You know how much the nut's running now, Frankie?
- No, I wouldn't know that. - $800 a month.
That's 800 clams every time your girlfriend gets the curse. Tax free.
Here's the beauty. You don't get it for the first eight weeks anyhow.
Till the guys get to know you and you're OK. But you don't lose, either.
You get it on the other end when you leave the Division.
Frankie, it's like... it's like severance pay.
Think it over, all right? In or out.
Look at me. I'm shaking.
All my life I've wanted to be a cop.
I can remember nothing else.
I remember this one time...
There was something happening. A domestic argument or something.
Somebody stabbed somebody.
And there was this crowd around this tenement.
I must have been nine, ten years old. I was this big.
I went over to see what was going on. The red light was going round and round.
There were all these people and I couldn't see.
I kept saying, "Do you know what's going on?"
Nobody knew. It was like a big mystery behind that... that crowd there.
All of a sudden...
the crowd just parted.
Like the Red Sea, you see.
And there were these guys in blue and I said, "They know."
But what do they know? What do they know?
It's amazing. It's incredible.
But I feel like a criminal cos I don't take money.
- You get so tense when you talk about it. - I wonder why.
Come here.
- Right there. - Here?
- I'm going to ask you a question, OK? - OK.
- Do you like cops? - You're my first.
No, I mean all this shit I've been telling you.
- Do you believe it? - Why not?
- Does it shock you? - Not much.
Aww. What's the matter with me?
Everybody knows about cops.
Did you ever hear the story of the wise king?
No. But I get the feeling I'm going to.
Well, there was this king and he ruled over his kingdom.
Right in the middle of the kingdom, there was a well.
That's where everybody drank.
One night, this witch came along and she poisoned the well.
And the next day everybody drank from it except the king.
They all went crazy. They got together in the street
and said, "We've got to get rid of the king, cos the king is mad."
And then that night he went down and he drank from the well.
And the next day all the people rejoiced
because their king had regained his reason.
- I think you're trying to tell me something. - Me?
Hey, Frank, I want you to say hello to somebody.
- Drop you cocks and grab your socks. - What the fuck is this?
Frank Serpico, say hello to Don Rubello.
He's your new partner.
Hey look, if you don't want to work with this fucking nut for some reason,
I'll buddy up with him, all right?
And go through all that crap changing assignments? Nah, we'll be OK.
We're Paisanos, right?
- What's with the fuckin' mouse? - He's my partner.
He's specially trained. He goes to track down heroin.
Let him loose, he goes into the hole, picks it up, brings it back.
Sniffs it out, brings it to you.
Yeah, I've heard of that.
You heard of that? Yeah.
This guy I'm looking for. Vernon.
He's a numbers collector who ain't been meeting his obligations.
He won't be hard to spot. He's a mover. This is prime time.
Since we're partners, you've gotta know the situation.
Straight off. I collect for the Division.
Me and two other bagmen.
That's what Keogh was sort of hinting at.
Yeah, three of us pick up the payoff twice a month.
Hey, look. There he is.
Son of a bitch!
- Look out! - You stupid bastard!
Where's the money?
You've been jerking me around, you fuck.
I'm behind now, man!
Three times you never showed, right?
I'll have it for you tonight. I swear. I'll have it for you tonight. Don't bust me!
Last time, Vernon. The last time!
You fuck me and you're gone. You hear? You hear?
See you at the Domino. Midnight. You'd better have $300, you fuck. You hear?
Right? Right?
All right, Frank.
Huh? Huh? I keep this place for socialising.
Some day we'll get a couple of broads, huh? Have a little party.
Hey! Mix some ice. Booze is right over here.
So what do you think, Frank? About the money?
Look, Don... If I was broke, I had a family, I don't know.
But I'm not broke and I don't have a family.
Why the fuck stick my neck out, you know what I mean?
It's already out for not taking the money. It's better the other guys don't know that.
Hey. Tell you what I'll do.
I'll hold your share for you. If you change your mind, it'll be right in here.
Right in here, right down to the penny. Hey. Look at that.
- What are you drinking? - Scotch.
Next thing I want to do is get a colour TV for the games.
How about some gin? Penny a point. Huh?
Yeah, let me ask him first.
Hello, Frank. Get in.
My God, Frank. This is confidential.
He's a police officer. I thought maybe he could sit in.
No. Absolutely not.
All right. All right.
Frank, I notified Commissioner Delaney about everything you told me.
He wants you to stay where you are and continue to collect information.
Then you'll be his eyes and his ears.
He said he was delighted that, quote, "a man of integrity had surfaced." Unquote.
When do I hear from him?
He said he'd reach out for you when the time comes.
- Reach out? - Mm-hm.
My situation's pretty fucking sticky up there. What am I supposed to do?
You must have patience, Frank.
- Yeah, but it's fucking sticky. - Patience and faith.
When the Commissioner says he'll get in touch with you, he'll get in touch with you.
Goodbye, son. God bless you.
All right, now. Marinda's too hot. We've got to lay off him for a few months.
And Falco's got two runners he ain't paying for. Check that fucking guy out.
Hey, Frank. How are you? Listen, Rubello's being transferred.
- You'll have to work with a new bagman. - Al Sarno, meet Frank Serpico.
- This'll be your new man. - All right?
You know that operation down by Hunt's Point? What will we do about that?
You the new bagman? You prick! What happened to Rubello, you son of a bitch?
Wait a minute.
You know, Frank, sometimes I ask myself, "What the fuck am I doing?"
If this ever came out... Christ, my family.
My daughter. She just started with the San Francisco Opera.
Chorus. Took a lot of money.
I once tried to pull out. Christ, they were all over me.
So you just go along.
Unless you're willing to go back to uniform duty.
Shit, how the money rolls in. Here, let me give you yours now.
No. I'm not on.
- What do you mean you're not on? - Just what I said. I don't take money.
- Some gag here? - No, I told you straight.
I don't take money. That's the truth.
What were you doing with Rubello?
(Frank) Ask Rubello.
You're not... Where's it been going?
Ask Rubello.
- 'All right, sir. I'll go to Delaney myself.' - That would not be advisable, Frank.
You don't understand. It's been weeks. Not a word.
- 'I understand perfectly, Frank.' - No, but Captain, they know I'm not on.
I've done all I can do. Goodbye, Frank.
He's out. Won't do another fucking thing.
Nothing's gonna happen from the inside. The top guys have been cops too long.
You haven't heard from Commissioner Delaney, have you?
Not a fucking word.
- Would you go outside the Department? - Where could we go?
Would you believe the Mayor's office?
- The Mayor's office? - His right-hand man.
A guy named Jerry Berman, from Princeton.
You knew I knew somebody. That's the somebody I know.
He cares, Frank. He really cares.
Do you know what we're going? We're going outside the Department.
That's right.
Dynamite. Every plain clothes man in the Division and one or two lieutenants?
That is... that is dynamite. That is incredible.
That is 150... that is $250,000 a year.
But that is just one precinct!
That is amazing!
What I feel is needed here is a real investigation.
I am sure that the Mayor will see this immediately.
McClain and Delaney. They have done nothing.
Man, that is amazing.
And another thing, see... In a couple of days,
they're going to have a meeting at a pad...
- Frank is in a very tough spot. - I can see that. Rumours.
I have heard rumours, but never touching it directly.
For an on-the-line cop to come forward like this is beautiful.
Really, Frank, you have my respect.
And my sympathy for what you've been going through, man. Wow.
Hello, this is Jerry Berman. Is he there?
All right. I'll hold on.
Well?
- Tell me what happened, Paco. - I'd like a drink.
That guy's gonna go to the Mayor.
To the Mayor!
Come here, Alfie. We're all gonna go to the Mayor together!
I couldn't be any more embarrassed.
It's like a personal defeat.
However...
- there are priorities. - What are the priorities, Jerry?
The priorities are a long, hot summer ahead
and riots are expected.
And the Mayor cannot alienate the police force.
Now in the fall... now in the fall...
it may be possible to take another look at the situation.
All right. I'm sorry.
Frank!
The whole of the rotten... chicken shit... fuckin' system's corrupt.
- (Knocking) - Who's there?
(Blair) It's me, Frank. I've got to talk to you.
Frank, you're behaving like a goddamn child.
Let him in.
You let him in.
- Hi. - Hello.
Sorry, Frank. I'm sorry I got you into the whole thing.
Bullshit. I got me into this whole thing.
"Wow. Amazing. Dynamite. Beautiful."
"Dynamite. Priorities. Priorities." You and your big-deal friends.
Your contacts. Your big bullshit names.
Bob Blair, the big operator from Princeton.
The mystery man with connections. The hotline to the Mayor.
Who the fuck do you think you are?
You come looking for help, whining with your humble pie act, the injured innocent.
Who told you the Department or the world was a fuckin' Boy Scout camp?
What did you expect, for Christ's sake, a magician?
Big Daddy?
- A white knight who rides in on a horse... - You just keep talking.
- Keep talking cos that's what you do. ...the Pope's choir sings Ave Maria?
You're gonna blame me cos those bastards won't get involved?
I tried to help you, got my head handed to me.
Where's your head? It's on your shoulders.
- You don't look so hot yourself. - What's all this shit?
Get ready to blow up. I've got another idea.
Your ideas are as full of shit as you are.
We can talk to Foreman, Frank, the Commissioner of Investigations.
We've got another guy here.
We could even talk to a guy I know on the New York Times.
That's terrific. Go to the Times.
Every time I talk to you, Blair, 20 more people know about it.
- It's safe. - With my ass on the line, it's safe?
- Your ass is already on the line. - That's my business, all right?
- You don't trust me? - I don't trust you.
- Go fuck yourself. - Fuck you.
When I come home, I want the house clean.
Don't take it out on me, Paco.
I'm not! I don't want to pick up shit!
Honey?
Come to bed.
- Hello, Frank. - Hey, Frank.
We all know what this is about, right?
So without any bullshit, what was happening between you and Don Rubello?
It's simple. I didn't take any money. I don't take money.
Rubello said if I changed my mind, he'd hold my share.
He'd give it back to me. I didn't change my mind.
Conniving bastard.
All right. Look, I'll handle Rubello. I'll get back the money he took.
But this ain't gonna happen again. From now on, no more free bagmen.
Starting today, everyone of you fucks makes his own collections.
- No stops, no bread. OK? - OK.
- Right. - You got it.
What about you, Frank? I'll make up what Don took from you.
Why should I start now?
Everybody would feel a lot better about you, Frank.
You can always give it to charity.
$100 a month, just for expenses?
For my secretary and my business lunches, entertainment?
All right. All right.
We split Frank's share from now on. You're a schmuck, Frank.
If they would take all that energy, put it into straight police work,
we'd have the city cleaned up in a week. There'd be no crime.
If I could work alone. That's the thing, see.
If I could just get to work alone.
They don't like that. They want to suck you in.
- You go over the same thing, Paco. - It's so fuckin' corrupt. Everyone.
There's gotta be a way to wipe it out, goddamn it. There's gotta be a way.
Let's get out of here. Let's go to a movie.
Will you quit handling me? Go to a movie? How am I gonna go to a movie?
Do you know they'd kill me if they knew? You think that doesn't happen?
Either you're exploding or you're lying around like a catatonic.
- I can't stand it, Paco. - You don't give a shit, right?
All I care about is you. That's all that matters to me.
That's why it hurts so much. I can't stand to see you like this.
Scared, miserable, dreading to go to work.
It's tearing me apart. And then I get sick of hearing about it and I hate myself.
You don't like the idea of me being a cop, so don't give me that shit.
I love you, Paco. I want to marry you. I want to have children with you.
- Goddamn it! I hate it! - Then why don't you get out?
- Why don't you? - It's crossed my mind.
Well, do it.
(Sobbing)
- What have you got? - Would you bust a whitey?
Try me. Try me.
This guy's heavy. He's Italian. Mobbed up.
Still interested?
Stop fucking around. I'm not in the mood. Come on.
There's a loan shark. Runs a big numbers operation.
This mother's so cocksure,
he picks up his own slips while he's collecting his loans.
Where's the drop?
Hold it. I'm a police officer.
And...
Wait a minute.
You're under arrest.
Hell, I thought you were some fuckin' junkie.
I'll take that wad in your pocket.
- You're a riot, kid. - I know, I'm a joke. What're you doing?
What's that? Put that away. You're in more trouble. Give me your keys.
- Where have they been hiding you, kid? - Wouldn't you like to know?
Hold this guy for booking. Get a rap sheet on him. I'm gonna search his car.
- Where's Corsaro? - Smith took him upstairs.
I swear, I thought this guy was some fucking junkie!
(All laugh)
(Serpico whistles)
- Hey, you. - Hey, who?
You. Get over here and empty your pockets.
- I don't do that. - You're my prisoner. You do what I say.
He's gonna get nasty about it.
You're fuckin' right!
Frank, cool it, man!
Lean, motherfucker! Spread!
Frank, Rudy's on. He's good people.
Stay the fuck out of this!
What's this? What's this?
Get in there.
Serpico. Got that record check on Corsaro.
Want to read something?
It's about your pal, Corsaro.
Here, read it. Read it.
He did 15 years. You know what for?
For killing a cop. He's a fucking cop-killer.
- It's good to see you again. - That's it. I've had it.
I can't take it any more. I've got to get out.
If I have to go back to Uniform, I will.
I can't wait for Delaney to call and I can't play their game any more.
The Commissioner didn't get it touch?
Not a word. No investigation. No undercover work.
I had no idea.
I think it's only fair to tell you I've been to outside agencies.
- I'll go to more if I have to. - What outside agencies?
Holy mother of God. Frank, we wash our own laundry around here.
You could be brought up on charges.
The reality is we do not wash our own laundry. It just gets dirtier.
- You are in trouble. - I don't care who gets it, including myself.
- If I have to go to outside agencies... - Stay away from outside agencies!
Where am I gonna go?
- Wait till you hear from me! - I've waited a year and a half.
That's not enough. Where am I gonna go?
It's my life, you fuck!
Serpico, see Inspector Palmer.
For this precinct, cases reported - murder, 14 for August,
20 for September... Serpico!
Inspector Palmer?
Deputy Chief Inspector Daley and Inspector Gilbert are waiting to see you.
Want to come to my office?
Captain McClain called me.
I've briefed Inspector Daley and Inspector Gilbert on your allegations.
The obvious question is this - in all these months,
why didn't you come to us?
Well er...
I never met these gentlemen before, sir, and...
er... you told... you... you...
you told Captain McClain that the Division was clean as a hound's tooth.
You think you're the only honest cop on the force, Serpico? My record's clear.
Inspector Gilbert's just come from
the Commissioner's Confidential Investigation Unit.
Then you must have heard something.
I don't understand. Commissioner Delaney has known about this from the beginning.
I didn't hear a thing.
But I understand your frustration, Frank, believe me.
It's sort of like trying to punch your way out of a paper bag, right?
What outside agencies have you been to, Frank?
I don't see how that's pertinent to my allegations.
We ought to ask Serpico directly if he's going to cooperate or not.
We've got to know if there's any real basis for an investigation.
Well, I... I don't have to think that... I have to think about that.
What is there to think about?
I don't see how the Division can investigate itself.
You've got a point there.
But you would cooperate with an impartial investigation, right?
Yeah. Up to a point.
As long as I'm not involved.
I just want to go someplace where I can do my job.
That's fair enough.
We'll be in touch.
Inspector Palmer? May I see you?
Was it necessary to let everyone in the station house know
I was coming to see these guys?
You believe from what you now know that an investigation is warranted?
- Yes, Commissioner Delaney. - Go to it.
But sir, shouldn't Headquarters handle something like this?
No. You're all experienced men.
Chief Gallagher here will be available for consultation.
Commissioner...
Serpico claims that er...
Inspector McClain talked to you about this whole thing some time ago.
Yes. I seem to remember something about that.
We can't set up a surveillance on "somewhere over by Crotona Park".
We need a location.
I've given you 36 locations that are paying off. What do you want?
The whole thing signed, sealed, delivered?
You're conducting this investigation, not me.
Lieutenant Smith. Let's get back to him.
Lieutenant Smith. Lieutenant Smith said to me
if I didn't want the money, he would stash it in his attack.
I'll have him transferred in the morning.
Fuck him. How about transferring me?
Serpico.
I hear you've been vouchering pad money over to a confidential investigation squad.
Oh, yeah?
How can I voucher money when I don't take any?
You won't find anything on Serpico.
He's clean. Right?
- Hm? - You practising your frisk?
No. I'm looking to buy a used tape recorder.
Wear a wire? They're feeling me up every day. How can I wear a wire?
Come on, Frank.
Wearing a wire means testifying to corroborate the tape, right?
Right. I'm not testifying.
I've got to put a dime in the parking meter.
Franklin, put a dime in the parking meter for Serpico.
Hey, Frank. Frank, you know Herman Tauber, District Attorney.
Yeah, I watch television.
Frank, I want to compliment you for coming forward like this.
It's unique. It's uniquely unique.
You should be proud of yourself.
There's gonna be a grand jury on these shit heels,
with Frank Serpico as my star witness.
Mr Tauber, you and everybody in this room can go to hell, cos I'm not testifying.
Wait, wait, wait. Just a second, Frank.
You have nothing to fear. You won't be singled out.
You don't understand. I'm not afraid. I don't give a fuck who knows.
Do you mind if I say something, Frank?
You're not going after corruption in the Department, the Division, the Bronx.
A few flunkey cops thrown to the wolves to protect Delaney and those guys.
They've known about this shit for years and won't do a fuckin' thing about it.
OK, what's this?
Exactly what it says.
I'm splitting.
I've never read anything so stupid -
"I'm leaving. If you want to discuss it, I'll be at Felix's."
I didn't want another scene. I figured you wouldn't be able to shout.
I can shout anywhere!
I won't shout.
Sit down. Sit down.
It's just going to go on and on. It isn't going to get any better.
And if you quit, somehow I'll be blamed.
How could you leave the man you love? The future father of your kids?
You never said anything like that to me before.
And if I come back...
you won't say it again.
You want to be free and unattached.
To go on fighting for your cause and keep torturing yourself.
My cause...
Paco...
I felt so safe with you.
So loving.
Stay with me, Laurie.
- Come on. Stay with me. - No. No.
What do I... owe you for that?
Laurie!
What are you doing?
Do you want to walk away or should I?
I'm not gonna walk away.
It's finished!
Who do you think you are pulling that no testifying bullshit on me?
Chief Green, I know your reputation.
Look, maybe if you were borough commander when this thing started,
running this investigation, I'd feel different about testifying.
But you're coming in after the fact.
You're like a quiff who says she won't, then maybe she will, then she won't...
I'm like a quiff who's been fucked over for a year and a half
by guys like Kellogg, McClain, Delaney...
I'm not Kellogg, McClain or Delaney.
Frank, it won't be just flunkey cops. This is only the beginning.
This could be the biggest thing since the Harry Gross case.
Meanwhile I'm out there alone. Who gives a fuck about that?
I'm totally isolated in the Department. I don't have a friend.
Don't give me that bullshit. I've been putting cops away for 30 years.
My name's an obscenity in every precinct in the city.
- I've observed that, sir. - "Friends."
I fought my way up as a Jew in the days
when you were supposed to have an uncircumcised shamrock.
I have a nightmare. I'm on Fifth Avenue watching the St Patrick's Day Parade,
I have a coronary and 9,000 cops march happily over my body.
- I haven't got a friend on the Force either. - I'll be your friend, Chief.
I'm not looking for any. I'll make an exception in your case.
Frank, you're a good cop. Stop being a prima donna. Just cut out the schticklech.
How am I being a prima donna? I want to protect myself.
Frank, if we're gonna get the indictments, you're gonna have to testify.
Ready on the right. Ready on the left.
Ready on the firing line.
(Buzzer)
What are you going to tell the grand jury, Frankie?
Depends on what they ask me.
Suppose they ask you who's taking money.
- What I don't know I don't know. - But you do know, Frank.
Frankie, I like you. I don't want to see anything happen to you.
But there are a lot of people who could hurt you here.
I'm not saying it's going to happen, I'm saying it could happen.
There's lots of ways. Nobody has to shoot you.
They can just not be there when you need them.
If somebody comes at you with a gun, they look the other way.
Or they'll send you in first enough times till one day you'll walk in the wrong door.
- Thanks for the information. - Fuck you, Frank.
I have nothing more. Does anyone have any further questions?
Er... yes. If I may, Mr Knowles. Thank you.
Officer Serpico came to the 7th Division more than a year and a half ago.
All during that time, the things he's told us were taking place.
Why didn't Officer Serpico report these criminal activities long before,
- when he first encountered them? - I'd like to answer that.
Mrs Crist's question I don't believe is material or relevant to the present inquiry.
I'd like to answer that question
Officer Serpico cannot be considered derelict of his duty in any way
or guilty of any infraction of the law - quite the contrary.
District Attorney is not prepared to say any more at this time.
Very well, Mr Tauber. Officer Serpico, thank you for your testimony.
This hearing is adjourned until 10:00 tomorrow morning.
Why didn't you tell him about Delaney and Kellogg?
This was a grand jury about police officers actively engaged in corruption.
You don't implicate people without sufficient evidence.
That's crap and you know it.
Even a dumb cop like me knows a prosecutor can take a grand jury
anywhere it wants to take it.
You never let me anywhere near the real problems.
Nothing about the bosses, the brass,
how corruption like this could exist without anybody knowing about it.
A few flunkey cops in the Bronx, that's it.
None of the shit in Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan...
Don't forget Kansas City.
- "The biggest thing since Harry Gross"? - All right!
Look, Frank. You've got guts. Integrity.
There's going to be a detective's gold shield in this for you.
That's terrific. That's good.
Maybe this is what it's all about. I should take my gold shield and forget it.
I know you've been through an ordeal, Frank.
I'm a marked man in this Department, for what?
- I've already arranged a transfer for you. - To where? China?
That takes a 14-shot clip. You expecting an army?
No, just a Division.
Tauber, did you know I've had reports about Serpico being a fag?
He used to hang out in the BCI washroom.
That's stupid, Commissioner, and you know it.
Commissioner, a gold shield for Serpico at this time would convince a lot of people...
Not while I'm commissioner.
Commander's office?
It's down that corridor.
Hey, Serpico, do you know what they're saying in the Bronx?
That you spilled your guts to the grand jury.
Say it isn't so, Serpico.
It isn't so.
I know how to handle guys like you.
I oughta cut your tongue out.
Don't move.
(Knocking)
Officer Serpico reporting for duty, sir.
Inspector Lombardo. I want to shake your hand, Frank.
It's gonna be nice to have a guy here I can trust.
Anybody in this command you want to work with?
It's not who I want to work with. It's who wants to work with me.
If you can't find anybody you want to work with, Frank,
I'll work with you.
Is that all right?
- How do we get past the lookouts? - How many you got?
One.
There's two.
There's three of them.
There's four buildings in one. We can get down the fire escape, get in behind.
- Look good? - Yeah, let's go.
- What do you think? Want to try it? - Yeah.
- You all right? - Yeah, I feel like a cop again.
Thank you.
Close up!
Frank, come on! Come on!
Get out of here. Get out. Go on.
What the hell's going on? Who the hell are you?
The police. Who the hell do you think we are?
Get the fuck against the wall. Up! Up! Up!
- Let me see your shield. - You want to see a shield?
All right. There's my shield.
- Where are you from? - The Borough. Manhattan 8.
You're not! I just paid the Borough this morning.
- Hey, Frank. - What the hell kind of shakedown is this?
Who did you pay in the Borough?
Nobody. I didn't pay nobody.
Who did you pay in the Borough?
I didn't pay nobody. Now let go of me.
We followed up and er...
there's no doubt about it.
The pad here in Manhattan
is bigger and more sophisticated than the one in the Bronx.
The erm... the pick-ups here are made...
You want to get this? The pick-ups are made by...
retired policemen.
That way no plain clothes men are directly involved.
Now we need investigative help on this one, Chief.
Well, Inspector, if you need investigative help and you don't trust your own men,
why don't you requisition some recruits from the Police Academy?
With all due respect, sir...
backing us up is the only hope that the Police Department has got.
A lot of good cops would come forward if there was any encouragement
Otherwise they won't do it.
I've done a whole lot more than most to defend the image of this Department
and protect Commissioner Delaney against reckless and irresponsible assault
from outside agencies.
That's it, huh? That's what's really important, is it?
That's what you want to know.
What outside agencies I've been to, right?
- (Ringing tone) - (Man) 'Hello? '
- Hello, prick. - Who is this?
- Frank. - Frank! How are you? Where are you?
Ready to go to the Times.
It's a goddamn serious step, Frank.
I don't know if the timing is right.
I want it to get on the record, that's all. In case something should happen to me.
I want it on the record.
I don't know if we carry enough weight.
I don't know if the Times will go out on a limb on the say-so of two flunkey cops.
Suppose an inspector were to come with us.
You know, I got 20 years on the Force.
We just got this place and signed a 500-year mortgage on it.
- (Television blares) - Will you turn that thing off out there!
- Everybody to bed. - Oh, Mom!
Come on, now. Go on upstairs.
This is against Department regulations. You both know that.
If they want to throw the book at me they can do it.
If I left the Force...
I don't know what I could do.
OK, I've made my little speech. I'll back you up 100 per cent.
Times. I got the money, fellas.
There you go. There you go. There you go.
Newsweek, please.
Holy shit!
Oh, Christ. You can almost predict the numbers they're going to do.
Delaney's going to issue some phoney denial.
Somebody from the Mayor's office will say something noble.
Delaney will change his tune.
The Mayor will appoint a commission.
"Thursday Mayor Lindsay announced the formation of a five-man committee
"to review the City procedures when investigating police corruption."
- How come I'm not in the first paragraph? - Unbelievable!
Yihoo! Yihoo! Yihoo!
The Times report smells of the familiar smear tactics
of McCarthyism.
I have issued a statement to be read at every station...
The Mayor is appointing a special investigation commission
- 'to be headed by Whitman Knapp.' - Yeah, come.
Here's your reward, Frank. It's a transfer to Narcotics, Brooklyn South.
Still in Clothes. You get a tin shield, not a gold one.
I miss you already, Frank.
Look...
Frank...
It's Narcotics. Be careful.
It's very easy to erm... get hurt.
You know, to er...
to be set up.
Serpico!
Get in.
You're not wired, are you?
OK, you cocksucker.
You might get by in the Bronx with that kind of shit,
but down here 800 a month is chicken feed.
Last week one dope dealer sent out these guys making pick-ups.
40,000 each.
We let 'em collect it all and then hit 'em.
120,000 split four ways.
That's serious money.
And with that, you don't fuck around.
I got the message.
Good. Now get the fuck out.
The guy's name is Limbo. He always uses his girlfriend's brother's place.
He's a pusher. Heroin.
We're going to drive round to the corner. You keep in sight, out front.
When you spot somebody who's dirty, you take off your glasses and wipe 'em.
Right. OK.
If we stay around here we'll get spotted.
Well, Frank, why don't you go up there and check it out?
- Why don't you? - I got the wrong clothes.
- I'll take you shopping. - Uh-huh.
- (Knocking) - Limbo?
(Speaks Spanish)
Police! Freeze!
Police Officer. Up against the wall. Get your hands up.
All right. Palms up on the wall and spread 'em.
Get 'em up! Get your hands up! Come on! Get your feet apart!
- I saw the buy. - All right, let's get Limbo.
- Julio, you all right, baby? - Yeah, I got 'em.
Police officer!
What the fuck are you waiting for?
(Limbo) Get out! Go down the fire escape!
Police! Drop your guns and come out with your hands up!
- What have we got here? - It's Mr and Mrs Serpico.
OK. Go ahead.
- Yes? - Where's our son?
- They're bringing him down from X-Ray. - We want to see him.
Just a few minutes.
Mr and Mrs Serpico, the news is better than we expected.
Thank God the bullet was a small calibre.
It didn't enter the brain.
- (Translates) - Or strike the spinal chord.
He's on the critical list.
But his condition seems to be stable.
Thank you, Doctor. Thank you.
Stay out of there. Didn't they tell you?
- What? - The word is don't talk to him.
He's no fuckin' good.
- How you doin', kid? - Hello, Sid.
Come over here.
Want to read my fan mail?
Sure. You're a big shot now, huh?
Sid...
I want you to get those fucking cops away from my door.
The Knapp Commission likes you. They want you to appear.
Naturally.
Heinemann and Julio are cleared. You're up for exceptional merit awards.
That's very funny.
Francisco, you love me?
I always had a thing for you, Sid, you know that.
Your gold shield's come through.
What's this for?
For being an honest cop?
Hm?
Or for being stupid enough to get shot in the face?
You tell 'em they can shove it.
I don't want it.
Oh, well.
Well, Frank, the facts are these.
You'll have to stay on leave of absence for a few months.
In all probability, the hearing in your left ear won't come back.
Two bullet fragments are still lodged there in the bony portion.
One is very close to the carotid artery and you'll have to have checks.
Your left side will feel stiff occasionally.
Once in a great while you may experience some dizziness.
But in general, you'll be OK.
Through my appearance here today,
I hope that police officers in the future
will not experience the same frustration and anxiety that I was subjected to
for the past five years at the hands of my superiors
because of my attempt to report corruption.
I was made to feel that I had burdened them with an unwanted task.
The problem is that the atmosphere does not yet exist
in which an honest police officer can act without fear of ridicule or reprisal
from fellow officers.
Police corruption cannot exist unless it is at least tolerated
at higher levels in the Department.
Therefore the most important result that can come from these hearings
is a conviction by police officers that the Department will change.
In order to ensure this, an independent, permanent investigative body
dealing with police corruption like this commission, is essential.
(Applause)