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

The former authorities chief in New Haven, Connecticut, was apprehended Friday on larceny charges following allegations he took $85,000 from 2 department accounts.


Karl Jacobson, 56, who quickly retired from the department in January, turned himself in on an arrest warrant. He was later launched on a court-set bond of $150,000, a state prosecutor said in a news release. Jacobson deals with two counts of larceny associated to defrauding a public community.


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


Jacobson's attorney, Gregory Cerritelli, stated he could not react to the particular allegations yet however reminded the public that "an arrest is not proof of regret and accusations are not proof."


"This is the start of a very long process," he said in an emailed statement. "I advise everyone to keep an open mind and prevent a rush to judgment."


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


Elicker said the former chief acknowledged taking the funds for individual use when three of his deputies faced him over the financial irregularities. According to the arrest warrant, Jacobson informed the deputies he was investing excessive cash on sports wagering apps, was looking for assistance for a betting addiction and planned to replace the cash.


During the taped conversation, Jacobson said sorry and asked the deputies "for a chance to conserve myself" so he might avoid going to jail and losing his pension, according to the warrant.


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


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


"We didn't know 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 many people, jailed for a theft of public money and also money that was meant for kids," Elicker stated. Jacobson is implicated of also taking money from the authorities athletic league, which provides a variety of programs for the city's youth.


Jacobson had 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, just weeks after a Black man was immobilized in the back of an authorities van in an occurrence that roiled the police department and the city.


The state district attorney's office stated Friday the city of New Haven initially reported the embezzlement allegations on Jan. 5, which prompted an examination by the Connecticut State Police. The probe revealed $81,500 was unaccounted for or abused 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 assist in narcotics examinations.


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


Two checks totaling $4,000 were likewise withdrawn from the New Haven Police Activity League Fund between Dec. 23 and Dec. 24, 2025. The prosecutor's workplace said both were found in Jacobson's individual account. Investigators stated no one else at the 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 nine years.