Robert E. McDonald, M.S.

Robert E. McDonald
Lecturer

Criminal Justice Department
Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences
Education

B.S., University of New Haven, Law Enforcement Administration, 1986
M.S., University of New Haven, Criminal Justice, 1995
M.S., Johns Hopkins University, Management, 2009

About Robert

Robert “Bobby” McDonald holds a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in Criminal Justice from the University of New Haven, as well a master's degree in Management from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD.

He has experience as both a State of Connecticut and United States Probation Officer and spent over 20 years with the United States Secret Service. Throughout his career, he completed assignments at the New Haven Resident Office in Connecticut, as well as the Presidential, Vice Presidential, and Dignitary Protection Divisions in Washington, DC. He coordinated security for numerous foreign and domestic dignitary visits, as well as several National Special Security Events, including the 2011 APEC Summit in Honolulu, HI and the 2012 G8 Summit at Camp David in Thurmont, MD. McDonald also spent time in charge of all asset and personnel allocations for the agency in the Office of Protective Operations and was the operations supervisor at the U.S. Secret Service academy located in Beltsville, MD. He is considered an expert in executive protection, intelligence, and event planning operations, as well as a leading authority of protective travel logistics and training.

He retired in September of 2015 as the Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Vice-Presidential Division. In this position, McDonald was responsible for all protective operations and training provided to the 180 special agents assigned to then Vice President Joseph Biden and his family.

Upon retirement from the U.S. Secret Service, he joined the security department of the National Basketball Association in New York, NY, as Senior Director of Global Events Security. During his five and a half years at the NBA, McDonald coordinated numerous domestic and foreign events such as the 2016 Olympics in Rio De Janeiro and several global games in Shanghai, London, Mexico City, and Tokyo. He was the coordinator of the NBA’s security platform at the 2020 NBA All Star Weekend in Chicago, IL and oversaw the security platform for two “bubbles” put on by the NBA for the recent completion of the 2019-2020 and the 2020-2021 basketball seasons.

From 1978-1995, McDonald was an on-ice hockey official, working high school, collegiate (ECAC) and professional (AHL) games in the northeast.

In the Media

In the Media

Sky News Arabia: President’s Shield

Kenneth Gray, a distinguished lecturer of homeland security and emergency management, and criminal justice, and Bobby McDonald, a lecturer of criminal justice, took part in a documentary on the history of U.S. presidential assassinations and attempted assassinations.

In the Media

ABC News Australia: When the US Secret Service fails

Kenneth Gray, a senior lecturer of homeland security and criminal justice, and Bobby McDonald, a lecturer of criminal justice, discuss the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, assassination attempts on other presidents, and how the Secret Service responded.

In the Media

MSNBC: USSS Director Resigns Over Trump Assassination Attempt

Bobby McDonald, a lecturer of criminal justice, discusses the resignation of the United States Secret Service director after a day of contentious testimony before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee during a hearing examining the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. Part three of a three-part interview.

In the Media

MSNBC: USSS Director Resigns Over Trump Assassination Attempt

Bobby McDonald, a lecturer of criminal justice, discusses the resignation of the United States Secret Service director after a day of contentious testimony before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee during a hearing examining the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. Part two of a three-part interview.

In the Media

MSNBC: USSS Director Resigns Over Trump Assassination Attempt

Bobby McDonald, a lecturer of criminal justice, discusses the resignation of the United States Secret Service director after a day of contentious testimony before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee during a hearing examining the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. Part one of a three-part interview.

In the Media

MSNBC: Assassination Attempt

Bobby McDonald, a lecturer of criminal justice, discusses the continuing investigation into the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump as details continue to emerge.

In the Media

CBC News: Trump Assassination Attempt

Bobby McDonald, a lecturer of criminal justice, discusses the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump and the protocols in place by the Secret Service and other law enforcement agencies for protection at large rallies.

In the Media

The 360 View: Campus protests enflame the US

Bobby McDonald, lecturer of criminal justice, discusses the protests that continue on college campuses regarding the war in Gaza. Still, most campuses and students chose to focus on their studies and having constructive dialogue.

In the Media

NBC Connecticut: Niagara Explosion

Bobby McDonald, a lecturer of criminal justice, and Kenneth Gray, a senior lecturer of homeland security, criminal justice, and emergency management, discuss the heightened security alerts across the country, sharing some important advice when traveling for the holidays.

In the Media

Eyewitness News 3 WFSB: Weapon found in Hamden School

Robert McDonald and Melissa Whitson discuss the rise in weapons found in high schools and elem entary schools in Connecticut, offering some advice and warning signs for parents, students, and teachers. McDonald is a lecturer in criminal justice, and Whitson is a professor of psychology.

In the Media

Fox61: News at 10P

Robert McDonald, a lecturer of criminal justice, discusses the need to find a bi-partisan solution as the number of mass shootings is reaching epidemic proportions.