Meet 'McDonald,' Groton Police Department's Newest Member

GROTON, CT—McDonald was brought up in prison. But now he's a member of the Groton Police Department.

The 2-year-old Labrador retriever, a police service dog, was trained by women in New York State's Bedford Hills prison, as part of the 'Puppies Behind Bars,' program.

The Manhattan-based non-profit trains prison inmates to raise service dogs for wounded war veterans and first responders. Puppies enter prison at the age of 8 weeks and live with their inmate puppy-raisers for around two years.

McDonald is among the first of his kind; service dogs for first responders, and named after late New York Police Department detective Steven D. McDonald. McDonald died in of 2017 after complications related to gunshot wounds from 1986 when he was investigating a robbery. After having met McDonald, "during one of his visits to the prison where he shared his story of forgiveness and rehabilitation," the women trainers chose to name the Lab after the officer.

McDonald will be partnered with Groton Police Officer Heather McClelland, the department’s Officer Wellness Program Coordinator. 'Mac and Mac,' as the partners will be called, trained together in an "intensive" two week regimen at the Bedford Hills Correctional Center with their inmate puppy raisers.

McClelland, a seven-year veteran of the force, is assigned to the department’s Community Policing Unit. Mac and Mac will help officers and staff of the Groton Police Department in a "therapeutic manner."

But Mac and Mac will also be working within the community doing outreach, educational programming, specialized events, and importantly, "community interaction." Mac and Mac will help victims of violent crime and other crimes of sensitive nature" and create a more "engaging relationship between the community" and police.

Mac and Mac will also "provide assistance to partner agencies, first responders and the many military personnel who call Groton home."

“We are excited to have McDonald as part of our team," Groton Police Chief L. J. Fusaro said. "Officer wellness is an extremely important topic today, and bringing McDonald on board to work with our department and fellow first responders and military personnel will help open doors for those who need help while also creating positive connections between our department and the community."

Fusaro said that he's "confident" that "McDonald will continue the legacy of his namesake, NYPD Detective Steven McDonald.”