“The Seven Five” is a serious look at the rise of Crack Cocaine in the 80s and 90s. Specifically, we target the dirtiest cop in New York City and how he helped to keep the trade in business. Between 1980 and his arrest in 1992, Michael Dowd specifically targeted lucrative dealers for kickbacks and then eliminated their competition. This documentary attempts to give a voice to the involved and help to explain how the NYPD stayed blind to what was happening for more than a decade.
If it sounds like “Training Day”, you’re not far off. Much of this case would later feed into LA’s investigation of Ramparts and other units. That being said, there’s something far more sinister in the case of Dowd. While he patrolled Long Island and NYC, he worked his ass off to create a self-sustaining network of drug money. That kind of planning isn’t just stumbled into, but it requires thoughtful planning.
My only problem with the documentary is that I didn’t want it to stop. I felt like we could’ve got a “Jinx” level mini-series out of this secret history of corrupt cops. The DVD comes with a trailer as the sole special feature. The A/V Quality is on par with most standard definition documentaries. In the end, I’d recommend a purchase.
Release Date: 9/15/15