Career
In January 2004 she became only the second woman to hold an assistant chief"s rank in the bureau, becoming assistant chief of investigations after 4 years of heading the 45 detective strong narcotics and vice squad. Prior to 2004 she was named acting supervisor of the investigative branch on several occasions that then Chief McNeily was called into military reserve service. She was promoted to commander in 1995.
In the late 1970s she was one of the Pittsburgh police academy"s first women recruits.
One of her first assignments as a sworn officer was for the city"s then newly adopted Doctorate.A.R.E. program She graduated from suburban Slippery Rock University in 1973 and earned her first masters from Penn State University.
In 1984 she earned a second master"s degree in administration of justice from the University of Pittsburgh with a final thesis concerning "police stress". McDonald stated to press inquiries in January 2014 that she intends to retire around her 64th birthday in February 2014.
Mayor Peduto"s staff however has given a 6 months or more timeline for finding a permanent chief
In early September 2014 Cameron McLay was named to succeed McDonald who retired on September 15, 2014.
