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Why doesnt Serpico just go directly to see Commissioner Delaney?

posted 10 years ago by Tidewatcher
2 replies | jump to latest

I always thought that it was odd how Captain McClain basically tells Frank Serpico that he Commission Delaney will get in touch with him in the near future and then does nothing but talk a lot for a year and a half and lies and makes false promises and later on we find out that Delaney has never heard of Serpico and that other guy has been lying to him about talking to Delaney, then he gets angry when Serpico says that he has been to outside agencies and threatens him by saying that the police force does its own dirty laundry which means you never go to outside sources and complain at all, even Kellogg is no help and useless too.

Serpico says that he doesnt care and that he will do so anyway because it is not safe for him, he has the chance to go to the New York Times but doesnt actually do so until much later when he tells his friend Blair that he is ready to go and they bring Inspector Lombardo with them at that point and the story gets out and the police leadership and Delaney are forced to address the story and talk with Serpico and that creates a media backlash but gets Serpico's story out to Delaney.

But why wouldnt Serpico after a year or more of waiting just go directly to Commissioner Delaney himself at his offices and request to see him personally? You know just drop by his office or request for an appointment or even send him a letter in the mail or make a phone call, a call or mail to both his house and private office would have certantly gotten his attention quickly and forced the issue, thats what i would have done and watch the problems of police corruption be addressed quickly and solved faster that way.

Thoughts?

[–] jhray8417 10 years ago

i have replied to this oft asked question here before with my opinion.

in the 60's the NYPD was the largest employer in the state, with over 40,000 sworn and civilian employees. and was still very much being run as a para-military organization to boot. Delaney was essentially the CEO/Commander in Chief of this organization, very insulated and protected, and likely it would have been virtually impossible to just "swing by his office" to talk to him about a concern. there were security details, chain of command issues, it just wasn't done.

and don't forget, Delaney had been turning a blind eye to corruption under him for years. why on earth would he chose to listen to a low ranking peon who wanted to talk to him concerning a subject he wanted to know nothing about?

all MHO of course.

[–] redban (6548) 4 years ago

1). As stated, the Commissioner is the big-shot dude at the top of the chain. Pacino can't just call the guy, write the guy a letter, or stop by the Commissioner's office.

2). Even if Serpico could have reached out to the Commissioner, he would have hesitated because the other officers might hear that he went to the Commissioner, and then they'd try to kill him.

3). Serpico trusted Captain McClain. McClain told him not to contact the Commissioner directly, so Serpico felt that was right. Serpico also believed that McClain did tell the Commissioner. So when the Comissioner never responds, Serpico likely assumed the Commissioner just brushed it off.