Police Chief ROBS His Own Informants

Person in handcuffs with hands behind back.

A police chief who built his reputation fighting corruption ended up stealing from the very fund meant to pay the informants who help catch criminals.

Story Highlights

New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson admitted stealing $10,000 from confidential informant funds and immediately retired
Three assistant chiefs discovered irregularities and confronted Jacobson, who confessed to using the money for personal expenses
The same chief who fired officers after the Randy Cox incident now faces criminal investigation by state authorities
Questions emerge about six years of missing oversight on a sensitive cash account prone to abuse

The Chief Who Policed Himself Out of a Job

Karl Jacobson’s downfall began with the kind of internal investigation he once championed. On January 6, 2026, three assistant chiefs confronted their boss about suspicious withdrawals from a city account designed to pay confidential informants. Within hours, the 15-year veteran who had disciplined officers for misconduct found himself admitting to stealing public money. Before Mayor Justin Elicker could place him on administrative leave, Jacobson submitted his retirement paperwork and walked away from a career built on enforcing accountability.

The irony cuts deep in a city still recovering from the Randy Cox incident. Jacobson became chief in July 2022, weeks after a Black man was paralyzed in a police van. He recommended firing four officers, positioning himself as a reformer willing to hold bad actors accountable. Now he faces the same scrutiny he once applied to others, with state investigators examining his alleged theft from one of policing’s most sensitive financial accounts.

A Fund Built for Secrets, Ripe for Abuse

Confidential informant funds operate in shadows by design. Police departments maintain these cash accounts to pay sources whose identities must remain protected. In New Haven, department general orders assigned responsibility for the CI fund to the assistant chief of investigations, but Jacobson allegedly centralized control over withdrawals. This power grab eliminated the checks and balances that might have prevented his scheme from succeeding for months.

City audits reveal a pattern of escalating theft throughout 2025. Jacobson regularly withdrew $5,000 monthly from the CI account, but in November and December, he doubled down, taking $10,000 each month through two separate $5,000 withdrawals. The brazenness suggests either desperation or confidence that nobody was watching closely enough to notice. Unfortunately for taxpayers, that confidence proved justified until his own deputies started asking questions.

When Whistleblowing Works

Assistant Chiefs David Zannelli, Bertram Ettienne, and Manmeet Bhagtana deserve credit for doing what their boss failed to do: uphold their oaths. These three officers noticed irregularities in the CI fund and confronted Jacobson directly rather than looking the other way. Their courage exposed corruption at the highest level and prevented further theft. Zannelli, now serving as acting chief, told reporters “the process does work” when officers maintain integrity over loyalty.

The rapid response from Mayor Elicker also demonstrates accountability in action. Rather than circling the wagons or downplaying the allegations, Elicker called Jacobson’s conduct “shocking” and a “betrayal of public trust.” He immediately requested state investigators to handle the criminal case, avoiding conflicts of interest that could undermine prosecution. The mayor’s decisive action contrasts sharply with the institutional protection that often shields corrupt officials from consequences.

Questions That Demand Answers

While Jacobson’s admission resolves the question of guilt, it raises troubling concerns about oversight failures. How does a police chief steal from a city account for months without detection? According to CT Mirror’s investigation, required annual reports on the CI fund may have been missing for up to six years. Acting Chief Zannelli claims he didn’t file reports because of “ambiguity” in general orders and Jacobson’s control over the fund. That explanation satisfies nobody demanding genuine accountability.

The frozen CI account currently holds about $50,766, but questions remain about the fund’s total size and proper usage over multiple years. State investigators must determine not only the scope of Jacobson’s theft but also whether other officials failed in their supervisory duties. Citizens deserve to know if this represents isolated misconduct or systemic breakdown in financial controls. The answers will determine whether New Haven can rebuild trust or face deeper institutional reforms.