Stella Bonasera is Mac Taylor's second-in-command and right-hand woman in the New York Police Department's crime lab. She began her career working as a patrol officer and once worked Narcotics out of Brooklyn North. She has a strong personality and her determination to solve a crime and help victims sometimes leads her to step on the toes of those who get in her way. She has at least four complaints on her record as a result. Stella is often referred to as the 'Statue of Liberty', due to her strong personality, determination and intelligence.