John Daniels (Mayor of New Haven)

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John Daniels was a mayor of New Haven, Connecticut.

Daniels, a Democrat, served in the Connecticut state senate. In 1989, he challenged incumbent Democrat Biagio DiLieto in the Democratic primary. DeLieto chose not to run and, instead, supported his aide, John DeStefano, Jr. Daniels won the hotly contested primary which, in heavily Democratic New Haven, was tantamount to winning the general election. Daniels became the city's first and only African-American mayor. He was easily reelected in 1991, stepped down after two terms and was succeeded by DeStefano.

Among Daniels' triumphs as mayor was the introduction of community based policing to deal with the growing crime and drug problems in New Haven. Under his administration, the city became a model of community policing and pioneered many police strategies later adopted by larger cities.