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

The former police chief in New Haven, Connecticut, was apprehended Friday on larceny charges following accusations 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 launched on a court-set bond of $150,000, a state in a press release. Jacobson deals with 2 counts of larceny associated to defrauding a public neighborhood.


"An accusation of embezzlement by a cops authorities is a major 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 attorney, Gregory Cerritelli, said he could not react to the particular accusations yet however advised the general public that "an arrest is not evidence of regret and claims are not proof."


"This is the beginning of a really long procedure," he said in an emailed statement. "I prompt everyone to keep an open mind and avoid a rush to judgment."


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


Elicker stated the former chief acknowledged taking the funds for personal use when 3 of his deputies challenged him over the monetary abnormalities. According to the arrest warrant, Jacobson informed the deputies he was spending excessive money on sports betting apps, was looking for aid for a gambling addiction and intended to replace the cash.


During the taped discussion, Jacobson asked forgiveness and asked the deputies "for a chance 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 in 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 police chief.


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


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


"It ´ s a really sad day for the city to see a chief, who was precious by so numerous people, arrested for a theft of public money and also money that was planned for children," Elicker stated. Jacobson is accused of likewise taking cash from the cops athletic league, which supplies a series of programs for the city's youth.


Jacobson had served for 3 years as police chief in one of 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 cops department and the city.


The state prosecutor's workplace said Friday the city of New Haven first reported the embezzlement allegations on Jan. 5, which triggered an examination by the Connecticut State Police. The probe exposed $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 used to pay personal informants who help in narcotics examinations.


"The accused had access to money because fund," according to a news release, which stated bank records showed checks associated with the fund were deposited into Jacobson's individual checking 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 prosecutor's office said both were discovered in Jacobson's personal account. Investigators stated no one else at the authorities department was associated with the matter.


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