After Detective Hailey Upton left the city at the end of theChicago PDseason 11 finale, discussions about who should be her replacement in the Intelligence Unit began, but the answer is quite simple and very exciting.The NBC police procedural series has experienced many cast exitsover the course of its 11 aired seasons. Thecast ofChicago PDseason 12looks much different from what it did during season 1. However, a handful of stars from the TV show’s early days remain and have been waiting for their chance to advance in their careers.
Chicago PDseason 12 features 22 episodes and premieres on Wednesday, September 25, at 10 p.m. ET on NBC.
When the NBC series premieres, the 21st District will look a little bit different because not only will Upton be gone, but a new patrol officer will join the squad. Toya Turner joinedthe cast ofChicago PDseason 12 as a series regular.Turner is set to play Kiana Cook, a young officer,and not much is known about the new character. When Turner was first cast, some speculated that she would serve asUpton’s replacement inChicago PDseason 12. However, showrunner Gwen Sigan has made it clear that someone other than Kiana will take over for Upton.
Chicago PD Season 12 Will Promote Someone To Replace Upton
1 Chicago PD Character Will (Finally) Become A Detective
While speaking withTV Insider, showrunner Gwen Sigan teased what’s to come in the upcoming episodes. Sigan revealed that oneChicago PDcharacterwill be promoted in season 12, meaning thatan officer who is already a part of the Intelligence Unit will serve as Upton’s replacement.Sigan said:
“Someone’s getting promoted, and it’s somebody I think who’s wanted it for a while and that it made a lot of sense for us. In the [writers'] room, we’ve talked about that storyline for so long, but how do you make it a story? How do you make it interesting? How do you make it something that really reveals something about who this person is and is not just a piece of paper? We really leaned into the real promotion process in Chicago and just show that it actually is really hard to become a detective, and so seeing that and seeing this character and what it means as far as looking at who you want to be as a police officer and how it’s going to be affected by a promotion like this was really fun. And I think it’ll add some new dynamics to the unit.”
Shawn Hatosy
Charlie Reid
WhenSophia’s Bush Detective Erin Lindsay leftChicago PDafter season 4, Upton, who was already a detective at the time, stepped in to replace her at the 21st District. So, the NBC series swapped out one detective for another. Thankfully, that will not be the case whenChicago PDseason 12 premieres and the team is looking around, wondering who could be Upton’s successor. Instead of looking outside the Intelligence Unit,Upton’s replacement will already be on the squad,and they were there for years before Tracy Spiridakos' character joined the show.
Why An Existing Intelligence Member Is The Best Upton Replacement
Bringing In A New Detective Would Be A Disservice To Ruzek, Burgess, & Atwater
Only threeChicago PDcharacters are seemingly in the race to be promotedand follow in Upton’s footsteps in season 12 — Adam Ruzek, Kim Burgess, and Kevin Atwater. All of them have been a part of the main cast since season 1, and they have all retained their positions as officers since the beginning. Many have been begging the writers to promoteChicago PDcharacters Ruzek, Burgess, and Atwaterto detectives for years. Now, one of them will finally get to move up in Intelligence, and that’s inarguably the best scenario concerning Upton’s replacement.
Chicago PD Season 12 Sets Up A Massive Voight Change That Can Alter Intelligence’s Future
Following the Chicago PD season 11 finale, a lot of changes are in store for the Intelligence Unit, including a new development concerning Voight.
If the writers brought in a new detective à la Upton’s introduction duringtheChicago PDseason 12 premiere, that would just be an insult to fans and the characters who have been around since season 1. They have been waiting for more than 10 years to get a promotion. If anyone deserves to replace Upton, it’s Ruzek, Burgess, or Atwater. Plus,viewers already know and love Ruzek, Burgess, and Atwater,so, it would be hard for the NBC police procedural series to go wrong by picking any one of them to become a detective.
Who Is The Most Deserving Of A Chicago PD Season 12 Promotion: Ruzek, Burgess, Or Atwater
All 3 Characters Have Been Officers Since Season 1
Even though Ruzek, Burgess, and Atwater have all been a part oftheChicago PDcastsince season 1,Atwater is undoubtedly the character who deserves a promotion.Yes, Ruzek has technically been in Intelligence the longest (although he joined the team right after graduating from the police academy), while Burgess and Atwater began the show as patrol officers. However, it’s hard to argue that Ruzek (or Burgess, for that matter) should become a detective before Atwater.
If any of theChicago PDcharacters deserve a win in season 12, it’s Atwater, who has been lacking an exciting and major storyline in recent seasons.
Atwater is often overshadowed by the other characters. Nevertheless, he is beloved, intriguing, and worthy of gaining a more significant role intheOne ChicagoTV show.Atwater is a fantastic cop with great experienceand is an often-overlooked member of Intelligence. Additionally, many would be over the moon if Atwater was promoted from officer to detective. If any of theChicago PDcharacters deserve a win in season 12, it’s Atwater, who has been lacking an exciting and major storyline in recent seasons.
Chicago P.D.
Cast
Chicago P.D.: This police drama, set in Chicago’s District 21, follows the distinct units within the Chicago Police Department—uniformed officers addressing street crimes and an Intelligence Unit tackling major offenses such as organized crime and drug trafficking, capturing the dedication of those who serve and protect their community.
