ENTERTAINMENT'Chicago P.D.' Original LaRoyce Hawkins Exits After 13 Seasons as Officer Atwater's Future Comes Into Focus
LaRoyce Hawkins exited ‘Chicago P.D.’ after 13 seasons.
July 7 2026, Published 8:33 a.m. ET
Chicago P.D. is losing one of its original stars.
LaRoyce Hawkins, who has played Officer Kevin Atwater since the NBC drama premiered in 2014, is leaving the series as a regular after 13 seasons, Deadline reported. Hawkins is expected to return in the first two or three episodes of Season 14 to close out Atwater’s storyline.
The exit marks another major change for the long-running One Chicago franchise, which has seen several cast departures in recent years, including Jesse Lee Soffer and Tracy Spiridakos on Chicago P.D.
Officer Atwater’s Story Is Getting an Exit Path
He is expected to return briefly to conclude Kevin Atwater's story.
Hawkins’ Atwater has long been a fan favorite: steady, loyal and frequently at the center of viewers’ hopes for a fuller personal life outside Hank Voight’s Intelligence Unit.
Season 13 gave the character a possible new direction when he reconnected with Officer Tasha Fox, played by Karen Obilom. What began as a connection from Atwater’s past turned romantic, but Tasha quickly revealed she was leaving for a new job in Miami.
Season 13 hinted at his character’s possible future in Miami.
Before she left, she gave Atwater an open invitation to join her. Later in the season, Tasha returned to Chicago and told him she was pregnant with their first child.
If Atwater’s exit sends him to Miami, the show has already laid the emotional groundwork.
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Why Long-Running TV Exits Happen
The departure marked another cast change for the NBC drama.
Tisha Morris, founder of Legacy Arts Law PC, said exits on established network dramas often come after years of renegotiation.
“TV deals usually start with negotiating lead actors for several option years on the front end, which is traditionally built around a five season arc to become valuable in syndication. But once a show hits that mark, the economics and bargaining power shift,” Morris explained.
She said long-running shows can become more flexible, and more complicated, after actors move beyond early series deals.
'Chicago P.D.' reportedly casted a new series regular.
“Once an actor's options run out, it's more about renegotiating pay, schedules, creative input, producer credits, or even trimming the episode count. If a series reaches double-digit seasons, the actor is no longer operating under the original series deal,” she added. “The parties have likely renegotiated their relationship multiple times, making each renewal less about contractual obligations and more about whether the creative and business interests of both sides still align.”
Chicago P.D. is also reportedly casting a new series regular, described by Deadline as a Black cop who is an agent of chaos.
