The Seven Five

The title of Tiller Russell's documentary refers to New York City's 75th Precinct, epicenter of a 1992 scandal involving a band of police officers who worked double-duty as partners with local drug kingpins. The cops routinely padded their pockets by stealing money from dealers, and later served as clarions to tip off drug lords about pending narcotics investigations. The ringleader of this circle, a police officer named Michael Dowd, was arrested while in possession of cocaine, and later became a minor media sensation when his testimony before the Mollen Commission—the city's legal investigation of police corruption—detailed how he was earning up to $4,000 a week from kickbacks and shakedowns tied to local drug operations. Dowd, who was convicted and served time in a federal prison for his crimes, is front and center in The Seven Five, offering an unapologetic recollection of how he tarnished his reputation and betrayed the police department and community he served. What is unfortunately not truly emphasized here is the fact that while Dowd and his fellow cops were breaking the law, the quality of life in the precinct where they worked deteriorated dramatically. Russell's film is too long—more judicious editing could have removed much of Dowd's bloviating—but it does tell an intriguing story. A strong optional purchase. (P. Hall)