Firm at center of shocking New Jersey police training declares bankruptcy

👮‍♂️ Training at Atlantic City conference glorified violence, breaking the law

👮‍♂️ State investigation found speakers encouraged police to violate constitutional rights

👮‍♂️ New report says they filed for bankruptcy

The police training company that state officials said instructed over 1,000 police officers in Atlantic City to violate the constitution and use excessive force on civilians has filed for bankruptcy.

Street Cop Training, based in East Windsor, posted revenues of $3.5M in 2021 and $3.75M in 2022.

But the company generated less than $35,000 in the first month of 2024 and now owes 20 creditors over $417,000, according to Chapter 11 bankruptcy documents filed in Florida and first published by the New Jersey Monitor.

The downturn was blamed on bad press and a subsequent report in December about a controversial six-day conference in Atlantic City published by the State Comptroller's Office.

Recordings captured more than 100 offensive comments made by speakers at the October 2021 seminar, according to Acting State Comptroller Kevin Walsh. He said instructors encouraged a "warrior mentality" and "glorified violence."

Street Cop founder and CEO Dennis Benigno said the report took the comments out of context for political reasons.

Several employees resigned in the wake of the report, according to paperwork signed by Benigno's attorney Daniel Velasquez.

Nine states including New Jersey have also banned Street Cop from hosting training seminars.

The documents were filed on Jan. 31, one day after the Attorney General's Office notified Street Cop that it would face further investigation and possible financial penalties.

" Rather than subject the Debtor’s depleted staff to additional harassment from the State of New Jersey, Street Cop Training elected to pursue Chapter 11 relief to restructure its financial affairs, dispute claims, and preserve its going concern value for the ultimate benefit of its creditors and estate," Velasquez wrote.

Street Cop said it had $209,000 in cash on hand and had around $211,000.00 in unsecured debt obligations at the time of filing.

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