Step 1: For this special project, you will each watch the documentary, The Seven Five. It is an in-depth look into the law enforcement career and life of crime led by New York City Police Officer Michael Dowd in the 1980’s and 1990’s. Follow the link below to access the documentary.
Step 1: For this special project, you will each watch the documentary, The Seven Five. It is an in-depth look into the law enforcement career and life of crime led by New York City Police Officer Michael Dowd in the 1980’s and 1990’s. Follow the link below to access the documentary.
Step 2: You will want to make sure you have read Chapter 13 (Police Corruption) of your text prior to attempting step 2. Next you will write a one-two page single-spaced paper (APA format) incorporating Dowd’s corruptive behavior as it relates to your text. Hint, hint, tie the chapter to your discussion using terminology and citations. Some important topics you might discuss are:
The types of corruption Dowd exhibited
The costs of the corruptive behavior
The levels of the corruptive behaviors exhibited
Different theories that lead to corruption
Ways to prevent police corruption.
Step 3: Submit your paper online in D2L under the “Assignments” tab.
The following link should take you to a free version of the film. If this does not work, I have uploaded a recorded zoom meeting in mp4 format of the film in D2L. Enjoy.
Criminal Justice – The Police in America – An Introduction, Tenth Edition, Samuel Walker and Charles M. Katz
The Seven Five recounts the police corruption scandal of the 75th precinct in New York City during the 1980’s crack epidemic. The film mostly follows former officer Michael Dowd and the events that led to his arrest.
The 75th precinct of Brooklyn, New York had one of the highest murder rates in the US and was one of the most dangerous places in the country during the late 80s. Michael felt over-worked, under-appreciated, and underpaid. He took bribes, robbed drug dealers, and protected cartel leaders such as Adam Diaz.
Later, Michael was assigned Ken Eurell as a new partner. Ken was an alcoholic and drank on the job. However, when Michael planned to kidnap a woman at the behest of a Colombian gangster for ransom, Ken contacted Internal Affairs and the police had him arrested. Police corruption was investigated at the NYPD, resulting in the arrest of dozens of police officers.
As calls to defund the police spread across America and protests continue over the killings of multiple Black men and women in police custody, people are turning to a 2014 film that examines one of the biggest law enforcement scandals of all time. The Seven Five was released years ago, but it’s still a popular watch today, especially with the current conversation surrounding our nation’s police departments.
The documentary tells the story of Michael Dowd, a New York City policeman in the 1980s who ran a ring of corrupt cops from the 75th precinct in Brooklyn, considered to be one of the most dangerous in New York. Dowd appears in the film to share his stories of one of the largest police scandals in New York City, and what it was like to lead a criminal network with fellow officers.
The Seven Five follows Dowd’s descent into corruption, which started with swiping from drug dealers’ cash and drugs and evolved into protecting some of the city’s most notorious drug lords. Here’s how to watch The Seven Five.
No, The Seven Five is not on Netflix currently. While the documentary is not available on the streaming platform, they offer some similar true crime movies, including LA 92, The Force and Operation Odessa.