Daniel McDonald joined the Partick Burgh Police on 11 May 1912, 6 months before the burgh was annexed to the City of Glasgow. The old force area was re-designated ‘L’ (Partick) Division of the City of Glasgow Police and he was allocated the Register Number B-483.
Constable McDonald served in the division until 1915 when he joined the Army for the First World War and served in France until 1919. During his service he was severely wounded at Messines Ridge, Belgium, in 1917.
On rejoining the City of Glasgow Police he was again posted to the ‘L’ (Partick) Division where he served until 1927 when he was promoted to Sergeant in the ‘B’ (Western) Division. In 1931, he was promoted to the rank of Inspector and served in the C’ (Eastern) Division and the ‘E’ (Northern) Divisions.
In 1936 he was promoted to Lieutenant in the ‘E’ (Northern) Division and in 1938 he was promoted to Superintendent of the ‘F’ (Maryhill) Division and later in 1943 was transferred to the ‘B’ (Marine) Division.
In 1947, Superintendent McDonald was awarded the King’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service and he retired on 31 May that same year.