Abstract:
This case chronicles the interdepartmental conflict and power struggle between New Haven mayor Frank Logue and Police Chief Biagio Dilieto and their subsequent battle as candidates in the Democratic primary for the mayor's office. Dilieto, a native New Havener, became the city's first Italian police chief in 1969 and had strong backing from New Haven's Italian community. When Logue took the mayoral office in 1976 and attempted to reform the police department, the two men clashed both privately and publicly through the press over issues of job appointment (which was historically a source of power for Dilieto), department restructuring, and police misconduct arbitration procedures. Amidst these disagreements, a wire-tapping operation by the police department against New Haven residents between 1966 and 1971 came to light and Dilieto was accused of and later admitted to his involvement. Under this backdrop, Dilieto decided to run for mayoral office against Logue with overwhelming support from the Italian community and the case concludes with the primary results.
Learning Objective:
This case, which illustrates a classic power struggle between two top officials from different departments within local government, can be used to illustrate the difficulty in implementing change in an organization headed by a strong-minded and well-supported figure. It can also be used to demonstrate how public figures can effectively utilize the press and frame issues to their best interests.
