Community Leadership

Frank Serpico

b. 1936Brooklyn, NYItalian American descendantLiving

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Why Included

NYPD whistleblower whose exposure of systemic police corruption led to the Knapp Commission reforms and changed public understanding of police accountability.

Notable For

Exposed NYPD corruption leading to Knapp Commission (1971–1972)
Subject of Academy Award-nominated film Serpico (1973)

Honors & Recognition

NYPD Medal of Honor

Sources

ACLU
foundation
Encyclopaedia Britannica
biography

Last reviewed: 2026-05-07

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Quick Facts

Field: Community Leadership
Years: b. 1936
Birth Place: Brooklyn, NY
Origin: Italian American descendant
Ancestry Verification: Confirmed

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