Michael Dowd, one of the most corrupt police officers in the history of New York City, recently visited the NYPD’s lower Manhattan headquarters.
He took a picture in the second-floor Shield Unit and posted it on Instagram on April 14.
The visit drew attention and criticism from people who were unhappy about his presence in the building.
Dowd was a police officer in Brooklyn’s 75 Precinct in the late ’80s and early ’90s. During his time there, he engaged in illegal activities such as shaking down drug dealers, stealing their drugs, and then selling them.
He was caught and served 12 years in prison. His story was documented in the 2014 film “The Seven Five.”
Dowd defended his visit and social media post, saying he was only trying to have a sense of humor about his past.
He claimed that he was there to help a retired officer get a new ID card and that the officers at the department’s visitors center didn’t ask him any questions before letting him in.
Many people were outraged by Dowd’s visit to the police headquarters, with some asking how a convicted criminal could be allowed inside.
One retired police officer who worked in the department at the same time as Dowd said the post “made my stomach turn.” Some even called for an investigation into who let him in.
As a result of Dowd’s visit, the NYPD Commissioner ordered a review of the process by which retirees’ guests are granted access to the department.
This move was likely in response to public criticism of Dowd’s presence in the building.
Dowd, who claimed to be working on a TV series and a reality show, said that he has paid his debt to society and that people should let go of the past.
He argued that everyone makes mistakes and that he should be allowed to move on from his criminal past.
Aiva Arthur
