Career
DiLieto was chief of police in New Haven from 1970 to 1976. He first ran for mayor in 1977, when he narrowly lost the Democratic primary to incumbent Frank Logue. He ran again in 1979, defeating Logue in the primary and winning election in November.
He was re-elected four times, serving a total of five two-year terms before he declined to run for re-election in 1989.