News Team

Reporters

Derek Valcourt

Derek Valcourt began working at WJZ in September 2002. His first major assignment in Baltimore was covering the October 2002 sniper attacks and then the subsequent trial of teenage sniper Lee Boyd Malvo.

Derek began his career producing consumer stories at WHDH in Boston. He then made the jump to the other side of the camera and spent two years working in Great Falls, Montana as a reporter.  Derek's investigative reporting on staffing shortages at one hospital in Montana spurred a full state investigation into the problems.  His hidden camera report exposing the repeated sale of alcohol to minors by area stores resulted in a county-wide law enforcement crackdown on underage alcohol sales.

From there, Derek moved to Huntsville, Ala. where he spent three years covering crime and investigative stories for NBC affiliate WAFF-TV.  He helped launch Alabama's most successful Crime Stoppers program.  His reporting directly resulted in the police capture of more than 150 wanted criminals and the solving of more than 200 crimes.

Derek has been honored by the Associated Press and by the Society of Professional Journalists with awards for feature reporting, investigative reporting, live reporting and enterprise reporting. Derek's news reporting for WJZ also earned him an Emmy award for 2003.

Derek was born and raised in Massachusetts and graduated from Fitchburg State College in Fitchburg, Mass. with a B.S. in Communications/Media. He currently volunteers as an associate member of the Board of Directors for Baltimore Area Metro Crime Stoppers.
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