‘Chicago P.D.’ Prepares to Write Out an Original Intelligence Unit Officer
‘Chicago P.D.’ has opened its new season with a cast change that longtime viewers have been expecting since the summer. One of the show’s longtime stars will depart after 13 seasons and a brief appearance in Season 14. The premiere has already started laying the groundwork for that farewell.
The latest Chicago P.D. cast exit involves Officer Kevin Atwater, played by LaRoyce Hawkins. Atwater has been part of the Intelligence Unit since Season 1. His departure is one of the more significant changes the long-running NBC drama has made in recent years.
Chicago P.D. Cast Exit Confirmed for an Original Member
NBC announced during the summer hiatus that Hawkins would leave at the top of Season 14, ending his run as Atwater. Hawkins originated the role in the Season 1 premiere. That makes him one of the last remaining faces from the show’s earliest days.
Deadline reported that Hawkins would return to wrap up his character’s storyline before officially leaving the series. The show returned on Wednesday, October 7, and the premiere marked the last one with Hawkins as Atwater. The production has kept the exact mechanics of the exit largely private.
The departure was not a complete surprise, because Atwater reconnected with an old friend, Officer Tasha Fox, during Season 13 and the two quickly became romantically involved. Tasha later turned up at his door with the news that she was pregnant with their child. That storyline gave the writers a natural path toward a personal exit rather than a violent one.
Atwater’s Final Episode and the Setup in the Premiere
Hawkins is leaving in the October 14 episode, according to TV Insider. Near the end of the premiere, Atwater got the call that Tasha was in labor, and the preview for the second episode shows the couple at home with their baby. The timeline suggests the farewell follows quickly on the heels of the premiere.
The premiere revealed that Tasha could go into labor at any moment and showed Atwater fully in father mode, which served as a tease for his exit. The setup points to Atwater leaving the Intelligence Unit after he becomes a father. The writing so far treats the exit as the outcome of choices already made on screen.
Showrunner Gwen Sigan has indicated the team wanted the send off to feel earned. In an interview with TV Insider, Sigan said, “We really wanted to give the best sendoff that we could.” She has also assured fans that the coming episodes will include heartwarming scenes with Atwater, Tasha and the newborn.
Jesse Lee Soffer Directing the Farewell
The most notable behind the scenes detail is who is sitting in the director’s chair. Former original cast member Jesse Lee Soffer returned to direct the exit episode. Soffer played Detective Jay Halstead from the show’s 2014 debut until his departure during Season 10, and he worked alongside Hawkins for years.
That history means Soffer understands what it is like to say goodbye to a character and a cast that shaped a major portion of an actor’s career. Sigan described Soffer as someone from the family on the other side of the camera who is still able to be part of the show in a different capacity. The choice gives the episode a personal connection between two actors who shared years on the same set.
Soffer’s involvement also reflects a pattern of the series keeping its alumni close. Sigan’s comments and the earlier reporting both frame his return as a way to soften the blow for longtime viewers. It is a quiet acknowledgment that these exits carry weight for the audience as much as for the cast.
What Comes Next for the Intelligence Unit
The unit has already weathered several major departures. Tracy Spiridakos, who played Detective Hailey Upton from the fifth season, exited at the end of Season 11. Toya Turner was cast as an Intelligence Unit addition for Season 12 after that exit. The show has a track record of reshaping its roster without losing its footing.
Another change is already in motion behind the scenes. Amid the exit, the series was said to be casting a new series regular. Details on that addition have not been confirmed in the reporting gathered here.
The reasons behind the timing remain a subject of debate among fans and commentators. One outlet has suggested the exit appears tied to budget reductions affecting the One Chicago shows, though that explanation is unconfirmed. The same outlet noted there are no indications that Hawkins himself requested to leave. Whatever the cause, the story gives Atwater a conclusion that fits his personal arc, so does a quiet life with Tasha and their newborn feel like the right ending for the man who has stood beside Voight’s team since the very first season, and who should step in to fill the space he leaves behind?
