Knapp Commission

The Knapp Commission (officially known as the "Commission to Investigate Alleged Police Corruption") stemmed from a five member panel initially formed in April 1970 by Mayor John V. Lindsay to investigate corruption within the New York City Police Department. The creation of the commission was largely a result of the publicity generated by the public revelations of police corruption made by Patrolman Frank Serpico and Sergeant David Durk.

Investigation and Public Hearings

While the Knapp Commission (named after its chairman, Whitman Knapp) began its investigation of corruption within the police department in June 1970, public hearings didn't start until October 18, 1971. In addition to the testimony of whistleblowers Serpico and Durk, at these public hearings, testimony from dozens of other witnesses, including former Police Commissioner Howard R. Leary, corrupt patrolmen and the victims of police shakedowns, were heard.

As an immediate result of witness testimony, criminal indictments against corrupt police officials were handed down. Commissioner Patrick V. Murphy, who was appointed by Mayor Lindsay shortly after the commission was formed to clean up the department, started implementing proactive integrity checks, massive transfers of senior personnel, job rotation in key areas, ensuring sufficient funds to pay informants, and cracking down on citizen attempts at bribery.

Whitman Knapp nominated as a Federal Judge

On June 15, 1972, Whitman Knapp, Chairman of the Knapp Commission, was nominated as a Federal Judge for the Southern District of New York by President Richard M. Nixon.

Recommendations of the Knapp Commission

The commission issued its preliminary report on August 15, 1972 and issued its final report on December 27, 1972. In its final report, the commission found widespread corruption in the New York City Police Department, and made the following recommendations:

* commanders should be held accountable for their subordinates' actions.
* commanders should file periodic reports on key areas that would breed corruption.
* field offices of the Internal Affairs division should be created at all precincts.
* undercover informants should be placed in all precincts.
* improve screening and selection methods and standards.
* a change in police attitudes.

"Grass Eaters" and "Meat Eaters"

The Knapp Commission Report on Police Corruption identified two particular classes of corrupt police officer, which it called "Grass Eaters" and "Meat Eaters". This classification refers to petty corruption under peer pressure ("eating grass") and aggressive premeditated major corruption ("eating meat").

The term "Grass Eaters" is used to describe police officers who, "accepts gratuities and solicit five, ten, twenty dollar payments from contractors, tow-truck operators, gamblers, and the like but do not pursue corruption payments." 'Grass eating' is something that a significant number of officers are guilty of, but they learned to do so from other cops or from imitating the deviants they watch and investigate every day. The commission even concluded that 'grass eating' was used by police officers in New York City to prove their loyalty to the brotherhood, and with that came incentives like side jobs. One method of preventing cops from becoming corrupt is to eliminate this step by removing veteran cops who do this, without any veteran cops to learn this from, new officers might never decide to 'eat grass'.

"Meat Eaters" are officers who "spend a good deal of time aggressively looking for situations they can exploit for financial gain." An example of this is shaking down pimps and drug dealers for money because, not only does the officer profit from it, but he or she can neutralize their guilt by convincing themselves that the victim deserves it. They justify taking advantage of criminals because they are considered the dregs of society.

ee also

*Whitman Knapp
*Frank Serpico
*"Serpico"
*Mollen Commission
*Royal Commission into the New South Wales Police Service
*Police
*Police corruption
*Political corruption
*Police brutality
*New York City Police Commissioner

Further reading

*Barker, T. (1978) An Empirical Study of Police Deviance Other Than Corruption. Journal of Police Science and Administration 6(3): 264-72.

*Barker, T. & D. Carter (1990) Fluffing Up the Evidence and Covering Your Ass: Some Conceptual Notes on Police Lying. Deviant Behavior 11: 61-73.

*Barker, T. & D. Carter (Eds.) (1994) Police Deviance. Cincinnati: Anderson.

*Braziller, G. (Ed.) (1972) The Knapp Commission Report on Police Corruption. New York: George Braziller.

*DeLattre, E. (1996) Character and Cops: Ethics in Policing. Washington DC: AEI Press.

*Dershowitz, A. (1996) Reasonable Doubts. New York: Simon & Schuster.

*Kania, R. & W. Mackey (1977) Police Violence as a Function of Community Characteristics Criminology 15: 27-48.

*Kappeler, V., R. Sluder & G. Alpert (1994) Forces of Deviance: Understanding the Dark Side of Policing. Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press.

*Kleinig, J. (1996) The Ethics of Policing. New York: Cambridge Univ. Press.
*Sherman, L. (1974) Police Corruption: A Sociological Perspective. Garden City, NJ: Doubleday.
*Trautman, N. (1997) The Cutting Edge of Police Integrity. FL: Ethics Inst.

References

* [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F10814FF355517768FDDAC0A94DC405B808BF1D3 Graft Paid to Police Here Said to Run Into Millions; Survey Links Payoffs to Gambling and Narcotics Some on Force Accuse Officials of Failure to Act Graft Payments to Policemen Here Are Reported to Run Into the Millions Annually Some Members of Force Say Officials Fail to Act - New York Times article: April 25, 1970]

* [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F20911F9395F147188DDAF0A94DC405B808BF1D3 Mayor's Committee Investigating Police Corruption Here Meets Tomorrow to Determine Procedures - New York Times article: April 26, 1970]

* [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F60D10FE3F5D137B93CBA9178ED85F448785F9 PANEL ON POLICE MAY BE REPLACED; Mayor Is Expected to Name a Larger Unit on Graft That Excludes Leary - New York Times article: May 9, 1970]

* [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F10812F63F5D137B93C0AB178ED85F448785F9 LINDSAY APPOINTS CORRUPTION UNIT; Subpoena Power Asked for 2d Panel to Study Police - New York Times article: May 22, 1970]

* [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F40911FA3555107A93C5A9178DD85F448785F9 KNAPP SAYS LAWS SPUR POLICE GRAFT; Lindsay Appointee Explains Objectives of Inquiry - New York Times article: June 7, 1970]

* [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F5081EFA3A55127B93C5A81789D85F458785F9 41 Policemen Are Subpoenaed By Knapp Unit in Betting Inquiry- New York Times article: February 17, 1971]

* [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F10D1FF73954127B93CBA9178DD85F458785F9 PERJURY LAID TO 2 IN POLICE INQUIRY; Patrolmen in Meat Incident Are First to Be Accused in Knapp Investigation Perjury Charged to 2 Policemen In Knapp Inquiry on Corruption - New York Times article: June 9, 1971]

* [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F50714FD3A5B1A7493C0A9178CD85F458785F9 Knapp Says Mayor Shares Blame for Corrupt Police; Knapp Faults Lindsay On Corruption of Police - New York Times article: July 2, 1971]

* [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F50811F6385C1A7493CBA8178BD95F458785F9 KNAPP UNIT TELLS OF POLICE BRIBERY AS HEARINGS OPEN; Reports 'Extensive' Problem in Corruption Here--Tape Evidence Is Presented DETAILS OF VICE GRAFT 2 Patrolmen and a Lawyer Linked to Payoffs to Help an East Side Madam Knapp Panel Tells of Police Bribery as Hearings Begin Here - New York Times article: October 19, 1971]

* [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F50A12FE3B5C1A7493C1AB178BD95F458785F9 Patrolman Says 'All But 2' Of Colleagues Got Bribes; Numbers Runner Tells the Knapp Panel That He Paid Off a Detective Monthly With Money From Social Security Patrolman Says 'All But 2' Colleagues Took Bribes - New York Times article: October 23, 1971]

* [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB0917F7345B137A93C6AB178BD95F458785F9 KNAPP UNIT'S HEAD DEFENDS LEGALITY OF INVESTIGATION; Public Attention Is Essential in Combating Corruption, Lawyer Tells Critics HOGAN BACKS HEARINGS But Roberts Scores Actions -- Police Bid Businessmen End Giving of Gratuities Knapp Commission Chairman Defends Legality of Investigation - New York Times article: October 24, 1971]

* [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0616FB3D591A7493C7AB178BD95F458785F9 Knapp Urges a Permanent Body on Police Corruption to Succeed His Panel - New York Times article: October 25, 1971]

* [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F40C1EFB345B1A7493C2AA178BD95F458785F9 Knapp Witness to Tell of Lindsay Officials' Apathy; Witness Will Tell Knapp Panel Lindsay Officials Ignored Graft - New York Times article: October 30, 1971]

* [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F4071EF63B5C1A7493C6A81789D95F458785F9 Leary Agrees to Be Knapp Witness - New York Times article: December 14, 1971]

* [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F1081EF73D591A7493C7A81789D95F458785F9 Serpico's Lonely Journey to Knapp Witness Stand- New York Times article: December 15, 1971]

* [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F70C16FA3C5B107A93C3AB1788D85F468785F9 Phillips, a Knapp Witness, Indicted in Two Murders; Phillips, Knapp Witness, Is Indicted - New York Times article: March 21, 1972]

* [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F00A16FF3A591A7493C4A8178DD85F468785F9 KNAPP NOMINATED AS FEDERAL JUDGE; Head of Police Inquiry Unit One of Four Named Here - New York Times article: June 16, 1972]

* [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30E16FC395E127A93C5AB1783D85F468785F9 Knapp Panel's Recommendation a Touchy Problem for Mayor and Governor - New York Times article: August 27, 1972]

* [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F70B11FF3E59107A93CAAB1789D95F468785F9 KNAPP PANEL SAYS WALSH AND OTHERS IGNORED TIPS BY U.S. ON POLICE CRIMES; KRIEGEL IS SCORED - New York Times article: December 28, 1972]

External links

* [http://www.nyc.gov/ NYC.gov - Official website of the City of New York]

* [http://www.nyc.gov/html/nypd/ NYPD - Official New York City Police Department website]

* [http://www.nyc.gov/html/ccpc/html/home/home.shtml NYC.gov - The Commission to Combat Police Corruption website]

* [http://www.frankserpico.com/ Official Frank Serpico website]

*imdb title|id=0070666|title=Serpico