Ryan MacDonald is a Scottish author and freelance crime and justice journalist. A former senior police officer with three decades of experience across policing and the military, his work focuses on policing, trauma, justice, and institutional accountability.

He is the author of Blue Lights, Dark Mind, a memoir examining the psychological impact of frontline service and life after uniform, and The StrongMind Method Journal, a guided journal centred on resilience, recovery, and mental wellbeing.

Alongside his books, Ryan writes commentary and long-form analysis on crime, policing, and justice in Scotland, drawing on both lived experience and investigative insight. His work explores the realities of operational policing, workforce pressures, public confidence, and the human cost behind the statistics.