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

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


Karl Jacobson, 56, who suddenly 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 prosecutor stated in a press release. Jacobson faces 2 counts of larceny associated to defrauding a public community.


"A claims of embezzlement by an authorities official is a severe matter and potentially undermines public confidence in the criminal justice system," Chief State's Attorney Patrick J. Griffin said in a statement.


Jacobson's legal representative, Gregory Cerritelli, said he could not react to the specific claims yet however reminded the general public that "an arrest is not proof of guilt and accusations are not proof."


"This is the start of an extremely long process," he stated in an emailed declaration. "I urge everyone to keep an open mind and avoid a rush to judgment."


Last month, New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker, when announcing Jacobson's retirement, said the former chief confessed he took cash from a city fund that compensates private informants for helping authorities solve crimes.


Elicker stated the previous chief acknowledged taking the funds for individual use when three of his deputies challenged him over the monetary abnormalities. According to the arrest warrant, Jacobson told the deputies he was investing excessive money on sports wagering apps, was seeking aid for a betting addiction and intended to change the cash.


During the tape-recorded 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 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 police chief.


The mayor called the accusations "stunning" throughout a Friday news conference and stated Jacobson initially confessed taking $10,000 from just one authorities account.


"We didn't understand how deep this went," Elicker said, noting the case stays under investigation.


"It ´ s a very unfortunate day for the city to see a chief, who was beloved by numerous people, detained for a theft of public cash and likewise cash that was meant for children," Elicker said. Jacobson is accused of likewise taking cash from the police athletic league, which supplies a variety of programs for the city's youth.


Jacobson had actually served for three years as police chief in one of Connecticut ´ s biggest cities, which is home to Yale University. He took workplace in July 2022, simply weeks after a Black guy was immobilized in the back of a paddy wagon in an event that roiled the cops department and the city.


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


"The offender had access to cash because fund," according to a news release, which said bank records showed checks connected with the fund were deposited into Jacobson's personal bank .


Two checks totaling $4,000 were also 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 individual account. Investigators stated no one else at the authorities department was included in the matter.


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