NYPD renames police academy after Malverne's NYPD Det. Steven McDonald

In the annals of NYPD lore, the story of Det. Steven D. McDonald, of Malverne, has its own special place.

Wounded and paralyzed in a shooting by a teenager in Central Park in July 1986, McDonald overcame grave wounds and became a living legend, devoting his life to spreading a message of forgiveness in both his writings and speeches — including for the 15-year-old who shot him, those close to him said.

On Thursday, the NYPD renamed the police academy in College Point in McDonald’s honor, assuring that any new recruit who walks through the door at the sprawling academy building will remember the man and the legend he became, officials said at the ceremony.

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch; New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani; McDonald’s widow, Patricia Ann; his son, Conor, now a captain with the department; and scores of police brass and former commissioners James O’Neill and Bill Bratton gathered as the new academy name — “The Steven D. McDonald Police Academy” — was unveiled on the building’s facade.

“Every recruit, every cadet, every member of the NYPD and all who train here will, for generations to come, see the name of a true hero," said Scott Munro, head of the Detectives’ Endowment Association, who attended the unveiling.

The sign, as well as internal signage in the building, was funded by the nonprofit New York City Police Foundation, according to a foundation spokesperson.

McDonald died on Jan. 10, 2017, at the age of 59 of complications brought on by the shooting. His death was considered a line-of-duty casualty that ended a 33-year career, and his funeral mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral was presided over by Cardinal Timothy Dolan.

In the spacious academy gymnasium before an audience of hundreds — including scores of new NYPD recruits — Tisch spoke of the noble life McDonald lived despite the tragedy that befell him and robbed his family and the city of his career of service protecting the city.

Tisch said that she got the idea to name the academy after McDonald while she sat in St. Patrick’s Cathedral during a recent memorial mass in his honor.

“God spoke to me that day,” Tisch recalled of her epiphany. “The message was unmistakable: This department needed to find a permanent way to honor Steven McDonald.”

Aside from the new name, the academy houses a small exhibit of McDonald memorabilia, including some of his old uniforms and other items from his career.

Both McDonald’s wife and his son received standing ovations from the crowd when they spoke. Patricia McDonald, also known as Patti Ann, served for several years as mayor of Malverne until announcing in 2019 that she wouldn’t seek reelection. She said that when Tisch told her the academy was to be named after her late husband, she was speechless.

“As most here know, that doesn’t happen to me often,” she said, drawing chuckles from the audience.

Conor McDonald, who lives in Nassau County and was at the ceremony with his wife, Katie, and the couple’s two young children, Steven Mychal and Grady Ann, said his father was his best friend and true inspiration.

“His lifework never dies. That is why this day, this event, is so special,” Conor McDonald said. “Many years from now, we will all be gone. The name, story and life’s work of Det. Steven McDonald lives on in this building.”

McDonald, who came from a long line of NYPD officers, was working with fellow officers the evening of July 12, 1986, when he encountered a group of teens in Central Park they suspected were going to steal a bicycle. During the incident, 15-year-old Shavod "Buddha" Jones pulled out a .22 caliber handgun and repeatedly shot McDonald, with one round hitting his spinal cord.

McDonald's wife was pregnant with Conor at the time. Some doubted that McDonald would live long. But over the years, he was able to speak to large groups. He also traveled around the world, talking about the power of forgiveness. McDonald himself forgave Jones, who spent 9 years in prison for the shooting. Jones died in a motorcycle accident a few days after his release on parole in September 1995.

“My dad truly believed in the good of everyone, and he knew that his service to the city would help the most hardened individuals find love in their heart,” Conor McDonald said.

After the speeches, under a hazy afternoon sun, many in the crowd went to the front entrance of the academy building. There, the bunting was pulled from the facade by long ropes, revealing McDonald’s name. Cardinal Dolan spoke a short blessing, ending with the word “Hallelujah!”