Knapp Commission

The problem of police corruption came into the public spotlight when Frank Serpico, a New York City police officer, was shot in 1971 after attempting to report police corruption. The Knapp Commission was the most famous attempt to address police corruption in America. It was formed in 1970 in New York City to investigate the New York Police Department.

Frank Serpico became a New York City police officer in 1959. He worked as a patrol officer and then an identification officer before being assigned to work plainclothes. While working as a ...