Three NYPD officers have been arrested for driving while intoxicated this month, highlighting concerns about misconduct during the holiday season. These incidents occurred as department precincts and bureaus host Christmas parties, often accompanied by heavy drinking.
The most recent arrest happened on Dec. 14, when Staten Island officer Jose Dejesus Jr., 27, was involved in a single-car crash in Emerson Hill. Police charged him with driving while intoxicated, driving while impaired, and refusing a sobriety test after responding to the scene on Roosevelt Street around 7 a.m.
On Dec. 13, Bronx officer Sheikh Aktaruzzaman, 28, was found asleep in his car in the 43rd Precinct. His vehicle was stopped in the middle of the road near White Plains Road and Wood Avenue. Aktaruzzaman faces multiple charges, including DWI.
The first incident occurred on Dec. 6 in Queens’ 108th Precinct. Donald Johnson, 32, was arrested after a citizen’s tip led officers to pull him over. He was charged with driving while intoxicated.
A police source tied the timing of these arrests to the “holiday season,” though it remains unclear whether any of the officers had attended NYPD parties prior to their arrests. The department has not provided additional details about the circumstances leading up to the incidents.
These arrests add to ongoing concerns about officer behavior and accountability, particularly during festive periods. Critics argue that such incidents reflect poorly on a department already grappling with shrinking ranks and increased overtime demands.
