Kevin Atwater’s Exit Sends ‘Chicago P.D.’ Fans Into Mourning Ahead of Season 14

For over a decade, ‘Chicago P.D.’ has built its identity on the Intelligence Unit, a rotating but tightly bonded group of officers under the command of Hank Voight. Fans have watched relationships form, careers shift, and partners come and go, but a handful of faces have always felt like the show’s emotional anchor. That stability is about to be tested again.

Season 13 already put Officer Kevin Atwater through the wringer emotionally, as he rekindled a romance with Officer Tasha Fox, played by Karen Obilom, only to watch her relocate to Miami for a new job. Atwater struggled with reaching out to Tasha throughout the season, drafting texts he never sent, before she reappeared at his door revealing she was pregnant with their child. It was a gut punch for longtime viewers who had hoped Atwater would finally get his happy ending in Chicago.

Now that emotional cliffhanger appears to be setting up a much bigger goodbye. According to Deadline, LaRoyce Hawkins is leaving ‘Chicago P.D.’ as a series regular after 13 seasons, with the actor set to return only to wrap up Atwater’s storyline in the first two or three episodes of the upcoming Season 14. The outlet’s report, shared widely across social media including by Deadline’s own account, confirmed the news as an exclusive.

Hawkins first appeared as Atwater during the ‘Chicago P.D.’ series premiere in 2014 and has remained one of the franchise’s most consistent presences ever since. Atwater actually began on ‘Chicago Fire’ in 2013 before moving over to ‘Chicago P.D.,’ ultimately racking up 263 episodes as the character. Hawkins, 38, is ending his run this October, and neither NBC nor a representative for Wolf Entertainment offered a reason for the departure when asked.

Given where Atwater’s storyline left off, many are connecting the dots between his personal life and his exit. Hawkins’ departure most likely signals that the character will follow his heart and his growing family down to Miami, closing the door on his time with Chicago’s Intelligence Unit. Still, the door does not appear to be shut for good, since the nature of his exit leaves room for Atwater to pop back up in future seasons.

Hawkins is far from the first original cast member to say goodbye. Jesse Lee Soffer and Tracy Spiridakos both recently exited the cop drama as well, joining Hawkins on the list of major departures. Soffer left in 2022 and Spiridakos followed in 2024, though both actors returned earlier this year for a crossover special alongside ‘Chicago Fire’ and ‘Chicago Med.’

Production is already moving to fill the gap Atwater will leave behind. ‘Chicago P.D.’ is currently casting a new series regular described as a Black cop who serves as an agent of chaos, according to Deadline’s sources. Season 14 premieres Wednesday, October 7, meaning Atwater’s send off will likely play out during the October 14 or October 21 episode.

For a show that has weathered so many cast shakeups over the years, losing one of its last original faces still hits differently. Atwater has been a steady, likable presence since day one, and his exit closes out a significant chapter of the franchise’s history. How do you think ‘Chicago P.D.’ should send Kevin Atwater off into his new chapter with Tasha and their baby?