By Justin Muszynski
Hartford Courant
NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Former New Haven police Chief Karl Jacobson has been arrested by Connecticut State Police and accused of stealing about $85,000 worth of funds from his former department.
Jacobson, 55, of Branford turned himself in on Friday in connection with accusations that he admitted to stealing funds from a program used to pay confidential informants, according Connecticut State Police and the state Department of Criminal Justice. He faces two counts of first-degree larceny by defrauding a public community and is free on $150,000 bond.
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“I have yet to receive any discovery from the state so I cannot respond to the specific allegations, but I will remind everyone that an arrest is not evidence of guilt and allegations are not proof,” Jacobson’s attorney, Gregory Cerritelli , said in a statement. “This is the beginning of a very long process. I urge everyone to keep an open mind and avoid a rush to judgment.”
In January, New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker said Jacobson abruptly filed his retirement paperwork after irregularities were discovered in the confidential informant program funds. According to Elicker, Jacobson was confronted about the irregularities by three assistant chiefs and he allegedly admitted to stealing the funds.
Elicker said he had summoned Jacobson to his office so he could put him on administrative leave, but he filed his retirement paperwork before they could meet. His retirement took effect immediately, Elicker said.
According to the DCJ, investigators allege that $81,500 was unaccounted for or misappropriated from the New Haven Police Department Narcotic Enforcement Program Fund . Authorities believe the misappropriations happened between January 2024 and this past January.
This fund is supported by the city’s general fund and is used to pay confidential informants who help with narcotics investigations. Jacobson previously had access to the fund as an assistant chief and, after being promoted to chief, never turned over control, officials allege.
An investigation of bank records found that checks made out from the narcotics program were allegedly deposited into Jacobson’s personal checking account, DCJ officials said. Investigators also allegedly found that two checks totaling $4,000 were embezzled from the New Haven Police Activity League Fund in the two days before Christmas 2025 and were allegedly tied to Jacobson’s checking account, according to the DCJ.
“It’s a sad day for the city of New Haven,” Elicker said in a statement Friday. “Former Police Chief Jacobson was someone whom many in our city deeply respected and who dedicated his life to helping keep our community safe. However, no one is above the law and that includes the chief of police. The theft and misuse of taxpayer funds was not only a crime, but also a breach of public trust for which former Chief Jacobson must be held accountable.”
DCJ officials said authorities conducted an “extensive review” and found that no one else from the police department was involved.
Assistant Police Chief David Zannelli was appointed as acting chief in light of Jacobson’s retirement. Jacobson was sworn in as police chief in July 2022, and his four-year contract was set to expire this year.
According to the DCJ, city officials reported the allegations to New Haven Judicial District State’s Attorney John P. Doyle . Doyle consulted with Chief State’s Attorney Patrick J. Griffin before it was decided that state police would handle the investigation and that it would be overseen by New Britain State’s Attorney Christian M. Watson to avoid a conflict of interest.
“An allegation of embezzlement by a police official is a serious matter and potentially undermines public confidence in the criminal justice system,” Griffin said in a statement Friday.
Griffin also thanked state police and Watson’s office “for conducting an efficient and timely investigation.”
At a news conference on Jan. 5 announcing Jacobson’s retirement amid the alleged embezzlement, Elicker said he was just as shocked as the command staff and everyone else at the police department to learn of the allegations. He called it a “betrayal of trust” and said the city had turned over all the information to the Connecticut State’s Attorney and state police for a criminal investigation.
City officials also froze the funds in the confidential informant program and temporarily halted the program.
Jacobson’s arrest comes a day after Elicker announced that a special order would allow a temporary version of the confidential informant program to pick back up in about two weeks. He called the program “very important” and said it provides “critical work” that contributes to police being able to solve crimes.
The temporary program will have increased security measures around its funding, while policies surrounding a permanent version of the program are assessed. Elicker said the city has hired the Police Executive Research Forum to conduct an analysis of the program’s policies and provide a report on its findings, which will be used to draft a new general order around the permanent version of the program.
“With the new policies and protocols that we have now put in place, our residents and officers can be confident that funds allocated for the police department’s confidential informant program will be properly safeguarded and properly used to investigate and solve crimes and to identify criminals and bring them to justice,” Elicker said Friday.
“I want to thank the Chief State’s Attorney Patrick Griffin, New Britain State’s Attorney Christian Watson, DESPP Commissioner Ronnell Higgins and the Connecticut State Police for their investigation into this matter and working to ensure that former Chief Jacobson is held accountable for his actions,” Elicker said.
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