George Joseph

investigative reporter

(Molly Sidney)

George Joseph was an investigative reporter for WNYC/Gothamist, focusing on law enforcement corruption, misconduct, and surveillance technology. He now reports for the New York City news publication, The City.

His first major series uncovered secret lists of police misconduct, maintained by prosecutors' offices across New York City. The series won the New York Associated Press Association's First Amendment award and prompted a federal court monitor to order the NYPD to incorporate such lists into a red flag algorithm for misconduct. Police misconduct records uncovered through that project also contributed to the dismissal of a man's conviction following drug planting allegations.

His next major series investigated allegations of rampant police corruption in Mount Vernon, New York, a city just north of the Bronx in Westchester County. The reporting drew on secret recordings made by a whistleblower and dozens of interviews with police officers, drug dealers, and former prosecutors. The series resulted in the disbandment of the Mount Vernon Police Department’s narcotics unit. It also became the major campaign issue in the 2020 Westchester Democratic District Attorney primary, which resulted in the ouster of a sitting District Attorney.

Joseph's last project examined the role of the New York City court sytem in exacerbating deadly conditions on Rikers Island during the COVID-19 pandemic.

George Joseph appears in the following:

Local Politics: Staw Donors & City/State Migrant Response

Tuesday, August 22, 2023

The latest news from City Hall, including new housing for migrants and 2021 campaign finance questions.

Speculators Target Homes in Black and Latino Neighborhoods

Wednesday, August 02, 2023

An exploration into a group of real estate speculators who have seized the deeds of Black- and Latino-owned brownstones in neighborhoods across NYC

Rollbacks for Trans Inmates in NYC and NJ

Thursday, January 26, 2023

Prison housing placements inconsistent with gender identity in New Jersey and the "collapse" of a unit for trans women at Rikers Island in NYC.

Court Backlogs and the Crisis at Rikers

Wednesday, November 24, 2021

WNYC's Public Safety Unit investigative reporter George Joseph talks about the latest on Rikers Island.

Case Delays Are Helping Drive Up The Population On Rikers Island

Tuesday, November 23, 2021

By George Joseph : investigative reporter

More than 1,600 people have been incarcerated in city jails awaiting trial for more than a year.

Comment

The NYPD Is Seizing a Growing Number of "Ghost Guns"

Wednesday, November 17, 2021

By George Joseph : investigative reporter

This year, the NYPD has recovered at least 200 “ghost guns,” firearms that lack any serial numbers and are assembled from component parts, usually ordered online.

Comment

Manhattan's First Black District Attorney Lays Out His Plan For His Tenure

Tuesday, November 09, 2021

On the campaign trail, Bragg promised to deliver both fairness and safety to the borough’s residents, particularly those in Black and Latino neighborhoods.

Comment

Elected Officials Call On Staten Island DA To Drop Charges Again Man Following Drug Planting Claims

Thursday, November 04, 2021

By George Joseph : investigative reporter

Last week, a Staten Island judge vacated the man’s 2018 conviction.

Comment

Staten Island Judge Tosses Man's Conviction Citing Prosecutors' Failure To Turn Over Key Evidence

Sunday, October 31, 2021

By George Joseph : investigative reporter

The evidence included body camera footage showing apparent drug planting.

Comment

Thousands of NYPD Officers Still Have No Covid Shot Ahead Of Monday Mandate

Sunday, October 31, 2021

By George Joseph : investigative reporter

Many of them have applied for religious exemptions.

Comment

An Update on Rikers Island

Thursday, October 28, 2021

WNYC's George Joseph talks about his reporting and updates us on the increasingly urgent situation on Rikers Island.

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Hacked Records Show Hundreds Of Oath Keepers Across New Jersey

Thursday, October 14, 2021

By George Joseph : investigative reporter

The Oath Keepers group has long sought to recruit military and police recruits to further their anti-federal government agenda.

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How Hacked Records Revealed Oath Keepers Ties With Police Departments

Friday, October 08, 2021

From New York to California.

WNYC Investigation Finds Potential Links To Far-Right Militia In The NYPD

Thursday, September 30, 2021

Mayor de Blasio promised an immediate investigation into any ties between city employees and the Oath Keepers militia.

Comment

Rikers in Crisis: A Rare Visit From the Mayor, What Role Judges Play

Tuesday, September 28, 2021

Judges in New York City continue to set bail and send more people to jail. What role do they play in the crisis at Rikers? Plus, the Mayor's first visit to the jail complex since 2017.