New Haven officials disclosed a comprehensive set of reforms to the city’s Confidential Informant (CI) fund following the discovery that former Police Chief Karl Jacobson misappropriated money intended for crime‑solving tips. The changes aim to tighten oversight, increase transparency, and rebuild community confidence.
According to the New Haven Independent, the state attorney’s office determined Jacobson stole a total of $178,000 from the CI fund dating back to 2019. He entered a no‑contest plea to one count of first‑degree larceny and faces sentencing and restitution hearings in January. WSHU reported that Jacobson stole “more than $175,000,” using the proceeds to fund a gambling addiction.
Mayor Justin Elicker (D) said the city acted swiftly once the fraud was uncovered by the department’s assistant chiefs. The CI program was temporarily paused, and a “special order” was issued to replace the previous annual audit schedule with monthly audits, secure the cash reserves in a digitally‑controlled safe, and install cameras in the storage room.
The city hired the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) for an independent review, paying more than $80,000 for the analysis, as reported by WSHU. PERF produced a 57‑page report containing 33 recommendations across 11 categories, including stronger audits, a dedicated audit unit, public dashboards for audit findings, and regular policy reviews. The New Haven Independent notes the full report runs 140 pages with appendices and will be posted on the city’s website.
Chief David Zannelli highlighted several key recommendations: establishing a unit solely for audits and inspections, posting audit results on a public dashboard, updating the general order manual monthly, and incorporating gambling‑addiction awareness into officer wellness training. Both officials emphasized that the temporary special order already incorporates many of PERF’s suggestions.
“My hope is that people have more trust in the city and the police department in the wake of this scandal, because they see that no one is above the law,” Elicker said at a press conference on the police headquarters’ third floor.
The Board of Police Commissioners will review the PERF report in the coming weeks and work with the department to develop permanent general orders. The city plans to post the report publicly and implement a schedule for ongoing audits and policy updates.
What’s next: The Board of Police Commissioners is set to examine the PERF recommendations and draft permanent CI fund policies within the next several months. The full report will be available on the city’s website, and monthly audit results are expected to be posted to a public dashboard once the new procedures are in place.
Sources: newhavenindependent.org, wshu.org
