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Besides getting his rank back , the demoted Vincent Riotto receives $500,000 as part of the settlement.
Their 2009 lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Newark, was the beginning of a tidal wave of change that swept out the longtime regime of former Police Chief Charles “Ken” Zisa.
Nearly two dozen police officers in all brought civil rights suits against Zisa and the city outlining systematic corruption.
Zisa himself was convicted of officials misconduct and insurance fraud in 2012 and sentenced to five years in prison but remains under house arrest while he appeals the verdict. A year ago, a state judge revoked the pension rights of the 34-year police veteran and former state Assemblyman.
The officers accused Zisa and his supporters of extorting money to support his legislative campaigns — as well as those of other public office and union leadership seekers — and then retaliating when they didn’t comply.
The department is now run by Police Director Michael Mordaga, a former city police captain and chief of detectives for the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office who has redirected department strategies and, in doing so, helped remake its image.
The settlement leaves one suit outstanding. It was filed by Officers Anthony Ferraioli and Aldrin Lamboy, as well as Ferraioli’s wife, Dawn Fray.
Statement on the settlements from Hackensack Mayor John Labrosse:
“As the incoming council, we inherited unprecedented litigation involving the former police chief. We have sought to bring an end to this unfortunate chapter in the city’s history. Through inaction or willful neglect – or perhaps just politics as usual — the prior council failed to take appropriate measures to address the unrest in the police department and the subsequent law suits; causing the city to spend more than $8 million to settle these cases – while also negatively impacting the city’s insurance rating. This new administration is continuing to work to improve not only the operations of our police department but to improve all operations in this city and reward city employees on ability and merit, not politics.”
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