New London — The two Democratic candidates for mayor battled it out with words Thursday touching on topics that included the recent controversy surrounding the city's police chief.

Roughly 400 people crammed into Jennings School for a debate between City Councilor Michael Buscetto III, the Democratic-endorsed candidate, and Daryl Justin Finizio, who has challenged Buscetto to a primary.

Buscetto, whom police Chief Margaret Ackley has publicly accused of meddling in police affairs and undermining her authority, said the chief may have "misrepresented'' herself when she said he was the reason she was retiring after 25 years with the police force.

Buscetto said the city manager and the attorney who crafted her retirement agreement in April, unbeknownst to the City Council, said his name was not brought up during her retirement negotiations.

"I think that says enough,'' Buscetto said, answering the first of more than a dozen questions posed by Paul Choiniere, The Day's editorial editor, and members of the audience.

Finizio called Buscetto's answer a "deflection."

"When the chief law enforcement official stands up in public and says a councilor is undermining her ability to lead, that is serious,'' he said, adding that an outside agency should be called in to investigate and "get to the truth of the story."

He said if elected he would support the chief and keep her on.

The two candidates, who are trying to persuade fellow Democrats to vote for them in Tuesday's primary, were calm and polite during the debate and both elicited chuckles from the audience after some of their responses. Supporters of both men mostly refrained from clapping and cheering for their candidates, which gave the debate a civilized air.

Buscetto, who grew up in New London and said he is from a family of blue collar workers, mentioned more than once that Finizio had lived in three towns in the past four years and was a Republican when he was a member of the Westerly Town Council — a position he left after being offered a full-time fellowship in Boston.

Buscetto said he has the support of 23 restaurant owners and the police, fire, public works and teachers unions.

"One thing you don't have to worry about is my stability in New London,'' he said.

Finizio conceded that Buscetto has the support of the political establishment "but it hasn't worked out.''

"I'm not from Mars, I'm from Westerly. It's 10 miles away,'' said Finizio, adding that he has family that has lived in New London for years, and he spent much of his youth visiting the city. He said he fell in love in New London and bought a house here before the elected-mayor position was established.

"I'm not an outsider running for a job. I'm a New Londoner running to be your mayor," he said. He said he is a progressive and has followed that philosophy whether it was supported by Democrats or Republicans.

During the debate, Buscetto also announced his chief of staff and called on Finizio to do the same. Buscetto said that Chris Soto, a 30-year-old Coast Guard Academy graduate with a master's degree in public administration from Brown University, who is working on his campaign, will be his second in charge if he is elected.

"He's a multi-talented young man,'' Buscetto said.

Finizio declined, saying he'd rather do it "the old-fashioned way."

"I'm glad Mike picked a Cabinet before the voters have spoken," he said. "I'm going to wait."

A group of older residents walking out after the debate were impressed with the way both candidates handled their questions.

"Their answers were concise, they were clear and the audience was respectful,'' said 84-year-old Naomi Paulson, who has lived in New London for 56 years. "I think both of them did very well."

"It was wonderful,'' added Janice Balkan, another longtime New Londoner.

But the women agreed that Finizio was more impressive, saying his answers were more concise and had more substance.

The debate was sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Southeastern Connecticut and The Day.

k.edgecomb@theday.com