Conor McDonald, son of the late NYPD Detective Steven McDonald, has been promoted to Deputy Inspector within the department's Public Information office. The promotion, announced Friday at a ceremony at One Police Plaza, marks a significant step in Conor McDonald's own law enforcement career.
McDonald, 39, advanced from his previous rank of Captain within the Detective’s Bureau Public Information Division. He described the past month as "bittersweet," a period that also saw the naming of a police academy in Queens after his father.
Det. Steven McDonald was paralyzed in 1986 by a teenage robbery suspect in Central Park. He was 29 at the time of the shooting and lived for more than three decades thereafter, passing away in 2017 at age 59 from complications related to his injuries. He became a symbol of resilience and forgiveness, having forgiven the suspect who shot him.
The 30-acre Police Academy campus in Queens now bears the name Det. Steven D. McDonald. Conor McDonald expressed gratitude for his current role and honor for his father's legacy, stating that being a police officer is "one of the greatest callings."