Karl Jacobson, who served as police chief of New Haven, Connecticut, for three years, has been arrested on larceny charges for allegedly stealing more than $85,000 from two department accounts. The funds were intended for paying confidential informants and a youth extracurricular programme.
Jacobson, who abruptly retired in January, turned himself in on an arrest warrant on Friday and was released on a $150,000 bond. He faces two counts of larceny related to defrauding a public community. Chief State's Attorney Patrick J Griffin said the allegations are serious and could undermine public confidence in the criminal justice system.
Jacobson's lawyer, Gregory Cerritelli, urged the public to keep an open mind, stating that an arrest is not evidence of guilt. New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker previously said Jacobson admitted taking money from the informant fund for personal use when confronted by deputies. The mayor called the allegations a betrayal of public trust.
An investigation by Connecticut state police found that $81,500 was missing from the narcotic enforcement fund between January 2024 and January 2026, with checks deposited into Jacobson's personal account. Additionally, two checks totalling $4,000 from the police activity league fund were also deposited into his account in December 2025. No other officers were implicated.
