Tommy McGrath

**Chief Tommy McGrath** is the Chief of Detectives, who replaced Christian Garland as chief of Special Victims Unit after he resigned.

## History

### On SVU

When Benson walks into Garland's office, Benson hears McGrath yelling at Garland. McGrath accuses Garland of thinking that he is better than everybody else. McGrath then abruptly leaves Garland's office and Garland then exits his office and asks Benson and Carisi if they had heard anything. Later, McGrath calls Garland into a meeting where he is accused of not doing his job properly. McGrath claims that more rape arrests have taken place before mentioning the Jayvon Brown case. McGrath then accuses Garland of having an inflated sense of self-worth before calling him a failure. (SVU: "Wolves In Sheep's Clothing")

After Benson gets involved in a car accident, Benson testifies in front of McGrath about the case against Congressman Justin Howard. McGrath then tells Benson and Garland that if they arrest Howard, Garland would be forgiven for his actions. At Benson's office, McGrath comes to see Benson where he wants to put another undercover on the mission and doesn't want her to tell Garland or the rest of the squad. McGrath tells Benson that Garland is not trustworthy because of his former association with Machado. Later, while meeting with McGrath, Garland and the squad listen to Howard's discussion about underage girls. McGrath mentions that he has three teenage daughters at the same school as a potential new victim. McGrath then orders that Howard would be arrested immediately. Benson and Carisi attempt to explain to McGrath that they need time to build a case. McGrath doesn't seem to care. Later, whilst busting Howard and the trafficking ring, Benson and the team come across Velasco who claims that McGrath sent him in as an undercover. (SVU: "And The Empire Strikes Back")

After three suspects end up dead, McGrath visits the squad and makes a lot of noise about how the case has evaporated. McGrath then gets a call from Velasco and claims that Velasco has saved them. Later, after Garland resigns from the squad, McGrath comes to see Benson to tell her that Garland had quit. McGrath then alleges that he had a lot of respect for Garland but moving forward, they have to focus on the 'real rapes'. Benson informs McGrath that she's not turning her back on any victim but McGrath says he has confidence in her. McGrath then tells Benson that he will be the temporary replacement for Garland.

Benson makes a visit to McGrath who insists on going over every single one of Benson's cases. McGrath also mentions that he took over Garland's office because it was bigger and that he is glad that Velasco is settling in. Later, while investigating Crystal Nunez's rape, McGrath visits Fin and Benson and claims that maybe there was no rape or maybe she cried rape for sympathy. Benson tells McGrath that she was not making it up. McGrath then tells Benson and Fin to slow the roll and that there is no case. After another rape was committed, McGrath tells Benson that he wants this rape investigated as soon as possible. After discovering that the victim was a daughter of the deputy inspector, McGrath insists that there is more to go on and only seems to be interested in this rape case. Later, McGrath insists that Carisi would not press charges in Crystal's rape. Carisi then tells Benson that McGrath is not the DA and it is not up to him. Later, after Travis Hillsdale was sentenced to prison time for only Peggy's rape, Benson confronted McGrath about his behaviour during the case. Benson then threatens McGrath and tells him that if he stands between her and any victim of sexual assault, she will quit. McGrath then tells Benson that they both understand each other.

After Tommy Baker was assaulted, McGrath meets Benson and the squad at the hospital. McGrath tells Benson and the squad to find whoever assaulted Tommy and to close the case. Later, Benson meets with McGrath while he was screaming at his daughter over the phone. McGrath confides in Benson and tells her that he is dealing with family problems and that she should not tell anybody. Fin then confronts Benson about the rumours going around that McGrath had the cops called on him one night. Benson tells Fin that she had no knowledge about it. Later, after Ricky Nowak was arrested for Tommy's assault, McGrath meets with Benson in her office and she tells McGrath to consider going to counselling.

While investigating a subway station attack committed by members of BX9, McGrath introduces Benson to Duarte from the Bronx Gang Unit. Benson and Fin become annoyed that McGrath had put Duarte on the case. Benson then talks to Duarte who claims that he is following McGrath's orders. Later, McGrath meets with Benson who asks him about Duarte. McGrath tells Benson that Duarte is a good cop despite the rumours going around about him. McGrath then tells Benson that she should be happy about this since she keeps complaining about being short-staffed. While McGrath holds a press conference, Benson and Duarte discuss the case. Duarte tells McGrath that they have to get Ricky to flip on his cousin. McGrath then thinks Duarte has the right idea.

After Benson gets attacked by members of BX9, McGrath says Duarte needs Benson's victim statement so she will have to cooperate with him. Later, Benson interrupts McGrath during a meeting who tells her that he doesn't want her going to the Bronx now. Benson then tells McGrath that she wants to help with the problem at The Bronx Special Victims Unit. McGrath then accuses Benson of being upset about Rollins' departure but Benson reminds McGrath that a gang came after her and attacked her while she was with Noah.

At the precinct, McGrath visits Benson where he is in a bad mood. McGrath asks Benson about the five rape cases and wants to make arrests. Benson explains to McGrath that the guy will put out hits on other judges if they arraign perps in New York. After the perps get arraigned, McGrath makes a speech about the NYPD being proud to be proactive. McGrath then tells Benson that he doesn't care and wants the perps arraigned. After another rape occurs, McGrath becomes angry where he wants to know if there is anything that they can do. Jet tells McGrath that she created a virus to mess up the server for Shadowërk and McGrath adds that they don't have a few days to get everything finalised. McGrath and Benson watch the virus as it does its job and McGrath becomes impatient. Jet tells McGrath that computer crimes can take months or years. Benson tells McGrath that if they move too fast, the guy will shut the site down. After the site gets shut down, McGrath starts yelling at Jet before Stabler tells McGrath to leave Jet alone. McGrath then throws a temper tantrum and claims that someone just got away with killing a judge. (SVU: "All Pain Is One Malady")

## On OC

### Season 3

While investigating Kyle for his involvement with Shadowërk, Jet explains that Shadowërk has mirrored the server. McGrath then asks if they could get a warrant but Jet questions McGrath for wanting to get a warrant on the whole world. Later, after Kyle gets taken to a prison hospital, Carisi and Jet brief McGrath. McGrath becomes upset that arresting Kyle has not stopped the rapes and that Shadowërk is more popular then ever. McGrath tells Carisi and Jet that he wants Kyle arraigned. Later, after Carisi questions Kyle, McGrath watches as Kyle gets taken out in cuffs and forced to delete the site. (OC: "With Many Names")

### Season 4

After Stabler completes his mission, Stabler watches McGrath's press conference where he discusses the case that Benson and the Special Victims Unit had investigated. McGrath then recognizes Benson's heroic actions on the case which Stabler smiles at. Bernadette interrupts Stabler and calls him by Randall's name before asking him where she put her tickets. (OC: "Memory Lane")

## Appearances

* Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
	+ Season 22: "Wolves In Sheep's Clothing"
	+ Season 23: "And The Empire Strikes Back" • "Never Turn Your Back On Them" • "One More Tale Of Two Victims" • "They'd Already Disappeared" • "Silent Night, Hateful Night" • "Tommy Baker's Hardest Fight" • "Promising Young Gentlemen" • "Eighteen Wheels A Predator"
	+ Season 24: "The One You Feed" • "Dead Ball" • "Jumped In" • "Soldier Up" • "All Pain Is One Malady"
	+ Season 25: "Tunnel Blind" • "Duty To Report"
* Law & Order
	+ Season 21: "Black and Blue"
* Law & Order: Organized Crime
	+ Season 3: "With Many Names"
	+ Season 4: "Memory Lane"