Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli has officially announced his retirement.

In a news release sent to News 12 New Jersey, Molinelli says that his retirement will be effective in January 2016, and that he will return to practicing law.

"My plan is to remain working in the office on a day-to-day basis until the end of December and, after taking some time off for vacation, will assume my new role as a partner with the Price, Meese, Shulman and D'Arminio law firm," Molinelli said in his statement.

Molinelli also says that he will "continue to volunteer my time to continue the war against the heroin epidemic."

Last month, Gov. Chris Christie's office reached out to the prosecutor to find out his timetable for retirement.

The governor tried to replace Molinelli in 2013 with a former federal prosecutor, but the nomination didn't make it past the state Senate. Molinelli's second term expired, but he has kept serving in lieu of a replacement.