A jury has awarded $375,000 to a former Passaic County corrections officer who said he faced years of retaliation after reporting racial discrimination.

Richard Camel, 55, a retired corporal at the Passaic County Jail, filed a lawsuit against the county Sheriff’s Office in 2021, claiming he endured a pattern of retaliatory actions dating back to 2016.

Following a week-long trial, jurors determined on Oct. 7 that while the sheriff’s office did not intentionally discriminate against Camel based on race, it had “more likely than not” retaliated against him, according to online court records.

Camel was awarded $375,000 in damages, including $100,000 for past emotional distress, $60,000 in back pay, $176,800 in front pay, and $38,200 in punitive damages.

An additional $375,000 was awarded f

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