It was the biggest police corruption scandal in New York’s history. During the 1980s, when New York's mean streets were paralysed by shootings, murders, assaults, drug crime and gang wars, the city's terrified residents turned to the police to protect them from the mayhem. Little did they know, however,that some of the officers they looked to for help were amongst the most serious criminals. Mike Dowd, an Irish American cop,was the worst offender – from the age of 26, he headed of a gang of police officers who did their jobs while putting together a widespread crime network. Dowd's network was so vast he became known as “the dirtiest cop ever”; at one point he was earning the equivalent of more than €60,000 per week on top of his €560-a-week salary. Now a new documentary film, Precinct Seven Five – named after the Brooklyn precinct in which he served – recounts the rise and fall of Dowd, who was eventually caught and sentenced to 14 years in prison.
YIu can find more information at @themikedowd and www.themikedowd.com
