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Michael Dowd (police officer)

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For the eco-activist progressive Christian minister, see Michael Dowd.
Michael Dowd
Michael Dowd at the Edinburgh premiere of Precinct Seven Five in August 2015
Born (1961-01-10) January 10, 1961 (age 63)
New York City, U.S.
Alma materNew York City Police Academy
SpouseBonnie Dowd
Police career
Allegiance United States
Department New York City Police Department
Service years1982–92
Badge no.22310
Other workPolice consultant; actor
Websitewww.themikedowd.com

Michael F. Dowd (born January 10, 1961) is a former New York City Police Department (NYPD) officer, drug distributor, and enforcer for the Dominican American Diaz criminal organization who was arrested in 1992 for running a drug ring out of Suffolk County, Long Island, New York.[1] He is the subject of the 2014 documentary film The Seven Five[1][2][3][4] directed by Tiller Russell and produced by Eli Holzman. The Tiller Russell TV documentary version, Precinct Seven Five (2015), aired on Film4 on June 19, 2020, and also featured interviews with Dowd's co-conspirator and "dirty cop" friend Kenneth "Kenny" Eurell, who eventually became a cooperating Federal witness and wore a wire, in order to further incriminate Dowd and help corroborate his own testimony in exchange for a lenient sentence at trial.

Early life and education

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Dowd was born on January 10, 1961, in Brooklyn, New York City, the third of seven children in an Irish Catholic family.[5] He grew up in Brentwood, Long Island, on a block mostly populated by the families of police officers and firefighters.[5] According to Dowd, he was a good student in high school.[5]

Career

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Dowd graduated from the New York City Police Academy in 1982 and was originally assigned to a precinct in Queens, NY, for a year and a half, after which he was reassigned to the 75th Precinct in East New York, Brooklyn.[citation needed]

Prison sentence

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In the course of his career, Dowd committed a host of crimes, including conspiring with drug traffickers to distribute cocaine, warning drug dealers about upcoming raids, providing them with guns and badges, allegedly planning to abduct a woman in Queens, and stealing food meant for the needy at a church. Dowd located a man who robbed the Diaz drug cartel and instead of arresting him turned him over to Diaz.[6][7] He pocketed several thousand dollars a week as a result of corrupt arrangements.[8]

Dowd was arrested in 1992. After investigations by the Suffolk County Police, the DEA, and NYPD's internal affairs, Dowd was convicted of racketeering and conspiracy to distribute narcotics and sent to prison for his crimes. He cooperated with the Mollen Commission, which investigated allegations of corruption in the NYPD.[9]

Sentenced to 16 years in prison, Dowd served 12 years and 5 months. While he was in prison,[10] Dowd claimed he worked as a peer counselor, worked out, read, and ran the addiction and suicide prevention programs.[5]

Recent career

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Dowd has been featured on podcasts, periodicals, broadcast radio and television programs, and was the subject of the documentary film The Seven Five.[11][12] A narrative feature adaptation by Sony Pictures is being produced by John Lesher and Megan Ellison.

References

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  1. ^ a b Van Sycle, Katie (May 7, 2015). "Talking to a Former NYPD Officer So Dirty He Spent 12 Years in Prison". New York. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  2. ^ "The Seven Five". Retrieved 19 October 2015.
  3. ^ Justin Kroll (2 December 2014). "Sony Wins Film Rights to NYPD Corruption Documentary 'The Seven Five'". Variety. Retrieved 19 October 2015.
  4. ^ Ali Jaafar (7 February 2015). "John Lesher and Megan Ellison Board Sony's 'The Seven Five' Feature Adaptation - Deadline". Deadline. Retrieved 19 October 2015.
  5. ^ a b c d Morgillo, Dennis. "Interview with Mike Dowd". Madhouse Magazine. Retrieved 2017-04-25.
  6. ^ Treaster, Joseph (1994-07-12). "Convicted Police Officer Receives A Sentence of at Least 11 Years". The New York Times. Retrieved 2019-04-01.
  7. ^ "Ex-Police Officer Held Without Bail". The New York Times. 1992-08-01. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-04-01.
  8. ^ Wolff, Craig (1993-06-11). "Police Officer Pleads Guilty in Case That Spotlighted Corruption". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-04-01.
  9. ^ Wolff, Craig (1993-04-03). "Accused Officer to Help New York Police-Corruption Inquiry". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-04-01.
  10. ^ "Prison Life for Michael Dowd, Star of The Seven Five". Retrieved 1 September 2017.
  11. ^ "Media Appearances". Michael Dowd. Archived from the original on 26 November 2015. Retrieved 19 October 2015.
  12. ^ Dargis, Manohla (2015-05-07). "Review: 'The Seven Five,' a Documentary About a Corrupt New York Cop". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-04-01.
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