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

The previous authorities chief in New Haven, Connecticut, was apprehended Friday on larceny charges following allegations he stole $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 released on a court-set bond of $150,000, a state prosecutor stated in a news release. Jacobson faces two counts of larceny related to defrauding a public neighborhood.


"A claims of embezzlement by a police official is a serious matter and possibly weakens public self-confidence in the criminal justice system," Chief State's Attorney Patrick J. Griffin stated in a statement.


Jacobson's legal representative, Gregory Cerritelli, said he might not respond to the particular accusations yet however advised the general public that "an arrest is not proof of regret and claims are not evidence."


"This is the beginning of a very long process," he stated in an emailed statement. "I urge everybody to keep an open mind and prevent a rush to judgment."


Last month, New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker, when announcing Jacobson's retirement, said the former chief admitted he took money from a city fund that compensates personal informants for assisting police solve criminal offenses.


Elicker said the former chief acknowledged taking the funds for personal usage when three of his deputies challenged him over the financial abnormalities. According to the arrest warrant, Jacobson informed the deputies he was investing excessive cash on sports betting apps, was seeking help for a gambling addiction and planned to replace the cash.


During the taped discussion, Jacobson said sorry and asked the deputies "for an opportunity to save myself" so he could avoid going to jail and losing his pension, according to the warrant.


Investigators identified 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 made $180,000 a year as cops chief.


The mayor called the claims "shocking" during a Friday press conference and stated Jacobson initially confessed taking $10,000 from only one cops account.


"We didn't understand how deep this went," Elicker stated, keeping in mind the case stays under examination.


"It ´ s an extremely unfortunate day for the city to see a chief, who was precious by a lot of people, detained for a theft of public money and likewise cash that was intended for children," Elicker stated. Jacobson is accused of likewise taking money from the authorities athletic league, which supplies a variety of programs for the city's youth.


Jacobson had served for 3 years as police chief in among Connecticut ´ s largest cities, which is home to Yale University. He took office in July 2022, just weeks after a Black man was immobilized in the back of a police van in an event that roiled the police department and the city.


The state district attorney's workplace stated Friday the city of New Haven initially reported the embezzlement allegations on Jan. 5, which triggered an investigation by the Connecticut State Police. The probe exposed $81,500 was unaccounted for or abused from the New Haven Police Department Narcotic Enforcement Fund between Jan. 1, 2024, and Jan. 5, 2026. Money from the fund is used to pay private informants who assist in narcotics investigations.


"The defendant had access to cash in that fund," according to a press release, which stated bank records revealed checks connected with the fund were deposited into Jacobson's personal monitoring account.


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


Jacobson had actually been with the department for 15 years before being called chief. He formerly served in the East Providence Police Department in Rhode Island for nine years.