New Haven Pension Board Rejects Chief Jacobson's Disability Claim

New Haven Pension Board Rejects Jacobson's Disability Application

The New Haven Police and Fire Pension Fund board voted unanimously on March 26, 2026, to reject former Police Chief Karl Jacobson's application for a service-connected disability pension, determining he did not meet the medical eligibility requirements for an enhanced benefit.

The board — which includes Mayor Justin Elicker, fire union President Miguel Rosado, Lt. Brian McDermott, and three other members — deliberated in executive session before announcing the unanimous rejection. Mayor Elicker said publicly that the board determined Jacobson "did not meet the eligibility requirements," noting that applicants must demonstrate they are disabled to the degree they can no longer perform their job duties.

The decision does not affect the regular age-based retirement annuity Jacobson began collecting after resigning in January 2026 — approximately $124,332 per year, which activated automatically without a board vote. The rejected application was specifically for a separate, enhanced service-connected disability pension.

New Haven Police Chief Resignation and Embezzlement Case

Jacobson resigned on January 5, 2026, after three assistant police chiefs confronted him over missing money from the department's confidential informant fund. According to investigators, Jacobson admitted during that meeting to stealing the funds and cited a gambling problem, stating he was seeking help.

Connecticut State Police arrested Jacobson on February 20, 2026, after he turned himself in at the state police barracks in Montville on an arrest warrant. He faces two counts of Larceny in the First Degree by Defrauding a Public Community, a Class B felony under Connecticut law.

Prosecutors allege Jacobson stole a total of $85,500:

• $81,500 from the New Haven Police Department Narcotic Enforcement Program Fund — the department's confidential informant account — between January 1, 2024, and January 5, 2026. Bank records show checks from the fund were deposited directly into Jacobson's personal checking account.
• $4,000 from the New Haven Police Activity League fund on December 23 and 24, 2025.

A search warrant for records from the sports betting platforms DraftKings and FanDuel revealed the scale of Jacobson's gambling: investigators found he wagered $4,464,884.26 between January 1, 2025, and January 5, 2026, sustaining a net loss of $214,365.74 during that period.

"An allegation of embezzlement by a police official is a serious matter and potentially undermines public confidence in the criminal justice system," Chief State's Attorney Patrick J. Griffin said at the time of the arrest.

Criminal Case Proceeding Slowly

Jacobson appeared in New Haven Superior Court on March 6 for a brief arraignment hearing before Judge Eugene Calistro. The hearing lasted approximately one minute; Jacobson did not enter a plea, and the court set release conditions prohibiting him from gambling online or in person or accessing employer funds. He is represented by attorney Gregory Cerritelli.

At a second court appearance on March 19 before Judge Tracy Dayton, arraignment was again postponed. Investigators indicated they were still compiling bank records and other evidence to turn over to the defense. No new court date was set at that hearing.

"This is the very beginning of a very long process," Cerritelli said.

Pension at Risk If Convicted

While the pension board's rejection closes the door on a disability benefit, Jacobson's existing $124,332 annual pension remains intact for now. Under Connecticut law, however, the state attorney general has the authority to seek revocation of a public official's pension upon conviction for embezzling public funds. No such proceedings had been initiated as of the latest available information, as Jacobson has not yet entered a plea.

The Connecticut State Police investigation found that no other New Haven Police Department personnel were involved in the thefts.

New Haven Police Department Under New Leadership

The pension board's decision came one day after Mayor Elicker nominated Assistant Police Chief David Zannelli to serve as the city's next permanent police chief on March 25, 2026, pending confirmation by the Board of Alders. The department has operated under interim leadership since Jacobson's resignation in January.

Jacobson's case has drawn sustained public attention in New Haven, where the revelations of theft from a confidential informant fund raised questions about oversight of sensitive police department accounts.

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