The calls are growing louder for Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia Valdes to resign. Newly released public documents show her office dropped nearly a dozen investigations into five Paterson cops. They were later arrested by the FBI and convicted in federal court — admitting they robbed and assaulted people they illegally stopped in the city. Local activists say the scandal within the place department is just the latest example of Prosecutor Valdes’ ongoing failure to protect the community. She’s also been ensnared in other high-profile allegations and lawsuits. NJ Spotlight News speaks with Joe Malinconico, editor of the Paterson Press, who’s been closely following the story and has the latest details.
Passaic County prosecutor under fire for handling of Paterson police ‘robbery squad’
Joe Malinconico, editor of the Paterson Press, has the latest details
Anchor
An Emmy award-winning journalist, Briana Vannozzi serves as the anchor for NJ Spotlight News, the newsroom of NJ PBS. She's worked in several capacities since joining the news division in 2012, as interim anchor and senior correspondent after years of general assignment reporting as a multimedia journalist. Vannozzi began her television journalism career by cutting her teeth on New Jersey State House politics for New Jersey Network News, and later as a news radio correspondent at FM News 101.9 covering crime and politics in New York City. Her work has taken her to national presidential nominating conventions, Capitol Hill, up and down the East Coast and every corner of the Garden State. She's interviewed every New Jersey governor dating back to Jon Corzine and moderated numerous political debates and forums. Her work has also earned awards from the New Jersey Society of Professional Journalists and the Philadelphia Press Association. A Burlington County native, she's honored to be serving and covering her home state and raising her family there.