Former Connecticut Police Chief Arrested Over Alleged $85,000 Theft

The previous police chief in New Haven, Connecticut, was jailed Friday on larceny charges following claims he took $85,000 from two department accounts.


Karl Jacobson, 56, who quickly retired from the department in January, turned himself in on an arrest warrant. He was later on released on a court-set bond of $150,000, a state district attorney said in a press release. Jacobson deals with two counts of larceny related to defrauding a public neighborhood.


"An accusation of embezzlement by a cops official is a serious matter and possibly weakens public self-confidence in the criminal justice system," Chief State's Attorney Patrick J. Griffin said in a declaration.


Jacobson's lawyer, Gregory Cerritelli, stated he could not react to the specific allegations yet but advised the public that "an arrest is not proof of guilt and claims are not evidence."


"This is the beginning of a really long process," he stated in an emailed declaration. "I advise everybody to keep an open mind and avoid a rush to judgment."


Last month, New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker, when revealing Jacobson's retirement, stated the former chief confessed he took cash from a city fund that compensates confidential informants for assisting cops solve criminal activities.


Elicker said the former chief acknowledged taking the funds for individual usage when 3 of his deputies challenged him over the financial abnormalities. According to the arrest warrant, Jacobson informed the deputies he was investing too much cash on sports wagering apps, was seeking help for a betting addiction and intended to change the cash.


During the tape-recorded conversation, Jacobson said sorry and asked the deputies "for an opportunity to save myself" so he might prevent going to jail and losing his pension, according to the warrant.


Investigators determined that Jacobson bet more than $4.4 million on his DraftKings and FanDuel accounts between Jan. 1, 2025, and Jan. 5, 2026. He won more than $4.2 million however lost more than $214,000. Jacobson earned $180,000 a year as authorities chief.


The mayor called the accusations "stunning" during a Friday press conference and stated Jacobson at first admitted taking $10,000 from only one authorities account.


"We didn't know how deep this went," Elicker said, keeping in mind the case stays under investigation.


"It ´ s an extremely unfortunate day for the city to see a chief, who was precious by numerous individuals, jailed for a theft of public cash and likewise cash that was meant for kids," Elicker stated. Jacobson is accused of likewise taking cash from the cops athletic league, which provides a variety of programs for the city's youth.


Jacobson had actually served for 3 years as authorities chief in among Connecticut ´ s biggest cities, which is home to Yale University. He took office in July 2022, simply weeks after a Black guy was incapacitated in the back of a paddy wagon in an occurrence that roiled the police department and the city.


The state district attorney's workplace said Friday the city of New Haven first reported the embezzlement allegations on Jan. 5, which prompted an investigation by the Connecticut State Police. The probe revealed $81,500 was unaccounted for or misappropriated from the New Haven Police Department Narcotic Enforcement Fund in between Jan. 1, 2024, and Jan. 5, 2026. Money from the fund is utilized to pay personal informants who help in narcotics examinations.


"The accused had access to money because fund," according to a press release, which said bank records showed checks associated with the fund were transferred into Jacobson's individual bank account.


Two checks totaling $4,000 were also withdrawn from the New Haven Police Activity League Fund in between Dec. 23 and Dec. 24, 2025. The said both were found in Jacobson's personal account. Investigators stated no one else at the cops department was associated with the matter.


Jacobson had been with the department for 15 years before being named chief. He previously served in the East Providence Police Department in Rhode Island for 9 years.