Captain James E. McDonald, commanding officer of Troop H, St. Joseph, Missouri, will retire March 1, 2020, after 28 years of service to the citizens of Missouri.
McDonald was appointed to the Patrol on January 1, 1992, as a member of the 64th Recruit Class. Upon completing his training at the Patrol’s Law Enforcement Academy, he was assigned to Troop H, Zone 8, Clinton County. On January 1, 1997, he was promoted to corporal and designated assistant zone commander of Troop H, Zone 2, Nodaway County. McDonald was promoted to sergeant on August 1, 1999, and designated zone supervisor of that same zone. On August 22, 2004, he was promoted to lieutenant and assigned to Troop H Headquarters. McDonald was promoted to captain on April 1, 2014, and designated commanding officer of Troop H.
Captain McDonald was born in Mexico, Missouri. He graduated from Community R-VI High School in Laddonia in 1981. McDonald served in the U.S. Army from 1982-1987 as a military policeman. He attended the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command in 2011. In 2014, he attended Leadership in Police Organizations Executive Seminar, and in 2019, he attended the Police Leadership: The Westpoint Model Executive course.
Captain McDonald and his wife, Beth (Adams), have three children and five grandchildren with one on the way.
