2 Moorestown Cops Went To Training That Touted Violence, Discrimination: Officials

MOORESTOWN, NJ — Two Moorestown police officers attended a law-enforcement conference that was accused of glorifying unconstitutional tactics and denigrating women and minorities.

Nearly 1,000 officers nationwide — including 240 from New Jersey — attended the 2021 Street Cop Training conference in Atlantic City, according to a scathing report published Dec. 6 by the state comptroller's office. Fifty-four police agencies around New Jersey, including Moorestown's, used public funds to send officers to the conference, investigators found.

Moorestown's attending officers have been "briefed on the improper training," according to township Police Director Patrick J. Reilly, Jr., who called the uncovered information "disturbing."

"The attendees from this department are exemplary in their work ethic and continue to interact with our community in a (sic) extremely professional manner," Reilly said in a statement. "Each officer recognized the conflict in the presented lesson plans versus New Jersey policies." (View the full statement below.)

Their attendance cost $998 in total, Reilly said.

Investigators confirmed that at least $75,000 in public funds were directly spent by New Jersey entities on attendance at the conference. This number does not include paid time off and/or paid training days relating to officers' attendance.

The attendance costs pale in comparison to potential lawsuits that could arise from excessive force, unlawful searches and seizures, harassment, and discrimination, said Acting State Comptroller Kevin D. Walsh.

Speakers and instructors made more than 100 discriminatory and harassing remarks during the conference, including references to speakers' genitalia, lewd gestures, and demeaning quips about women and minorities, according to investigators. Instructors also glorified violence, promoted the use of unconstitutional policing tactics during traffic stops, and encouraged a militaristic, "warrior" approach to law enforcement, the report says.

• Read more: 240 NJ Officers Completed Controversial Training With Tax Dollars: OSC

None of the attending officers complained about the training, the comptroller's investigation found.

The training was run by Street Cop Training, a private company headquartered in East Windsor. The company has issued an apology for any “inappropriate or offensive language” used at the workshops. However, Street Cop says the comptroller's office is wrong about several of its claims, including the assertion that the training may have been “unconstitutional.”

The alleged use of unconstitutional and discriminatory tactics could topple criminal cases around the state, attorneys told New Jersey Monitor.

Read the comptroller's full report here. See a list of the New Jersey police agencies named in the report here.

Police Director's Full Statement

Read Reilly's full statement below on the training and the Moorestown officers' attendance:

"The Moorestown Township Police Department is fully accredited by the New Jersey State Chiefs Association. This highly sought certification is a tribute to the department's desire to maintain the highest standards in policing. Less than half of New Jersey's department attain this recognition. Our township believes properly trained officers are more effective officers, and each year they receive ongoing training from various providers. Our officers receive the mandated annual training prescribed by the State's Police Training Commission and Attorney General. This training outlines proper and legal actions in policing. Our officers receive more than the required state guidelines to better serve our community's specific needs.

The Department is aware of the NJ Comptrollers recent report concerning the curriculum at the Street Cop Conference in October 2021. Prior to issuance of this report, this company was a state approved provider of various training courses for many years for law enforcement as well as jurisdictions throughout the country. The information uncovered regarding the areas of training in conflict with New Jersey Standard Police Practices and Policies is certainly disturbing.

The two officers from our department that attended this conference have been briefed on the improper training provided by Street Cop per the Comptroller's report. The attendees from this department are exemplary in their work ethic and continue to interact with our community in a extremely professional manner. Each officer recognized the conflict in the presented lesson plans versus New Jersey policies. The total cost of attendance was $998.00.

Moorestown Township Police Department will discontinue attending any Street Cop programs and going forward will require that a curriculum be reviewed prior to any future approvals for advanced training seminars by private training companies."