PATCHOGUE, NY —An East Patchogue man has been charged in connection with misrepresenting himself as an employee of the New York City Health and Hospital Special Police on four separate occasions, Suffolk District Attorney Ray Tierney said Thursday.
Peterson Jules, 40, of East Patchogue, displayed a cellphone image of an old identification and badge in an effort to avoid traffic citations, his office said.
Jules was charged with second-degree criminal impersonation, a misdemeanor.
Jules was ordered released without bail.
The charges against him are non-bail eligible under current
state law. He is due back in court on Aug. 18.
The attorney who represented him at his arraignment, Ana Espinosa of Bay Shore, did not comment.
Tierney said the allegations against Jules "represent a deliberate pattern of violating traffic laws and
evading accountability through criminal impersonation of a hospital police officer."
"I want to thank the Suffolk County Police Department for conducting a thorough and professional investigation, and for assisting my office in bringing this individual to justice," he added.
Jules falsely represented himself as an active-duty law enforcement officer during four separate traffic stops conducted by Suffolk County Police in Patchogue and Medford between Feb. 17 and June 4, 2026, prosecutors said.
During each stop, he identified himself as "a member of service," which is a phrase commonly used by law enforcement personnel, and displayed an image on his cellphone depicting a New York City Hospital Police identification card, along with a New York City shield and shield number, according to prosecutors.
The investigation revealed Jules had been employed as a special officer with the city's Health and Hospitals until his termination in April 2022, prosecutors said.
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