Chicago PD Showrunner Teases Season 12: Burzek Wedding and More

After a season of change, Chicago P.D is gearing up for even more drama, romance and crime-solving action during the back half of Season 12.

“We have a lot going on with our new Deputy CEO, Shawn Hatosyis Reid,” Chicago P.D showrunner Gwen Sigan exclusively speaking My Weekly on Tuesday, January 7. “We saw in the midseason finale him say it to Voight like, ‘We’re going to be friends,’ but it’s obviously a friendship of ownership and like leverage.”

Sigan said it was “really fun to write” the encounter between Deputy Chief Charlie Reid (Hatosy), who joined the cast this season, and Intelligence Unit Chief Hank Voight (Jason Beghe).

She teased that the pair’s leadership styles “quite change the dynamic in the unit” going forward.

Sigan noted that the second half of the season will also finally show Kim Burgess (Marina Squerciati) and Adam Růžek (Patrick Flueger) wedding after the third engagement in season 11.

The showrunner said Our that Dante Torres (Benjamin Levy Aguilar) will continue to have an “existential crisis and a crisis of faith” in the upcoming episode, adding that Kevin Atwater (LaRoyce Hawkins) gets “a little romance” again.

“We have a little bit of everything,” Sigan said. “Things are definitely going to keep changing and evolving for the unit.

Scroll down to all Our learned from Chicago P.D.’s showrunner on the rest of Season 12:

Cook’s story will come out

After joining the news unit earlier this season, fans finally get to better picture of who kiana cook (Toya Turner) is and where it comes from.

“Episode 9 is Cook’s episode,” Sigan said Ourreferring to the midseason premiere that airs on Wednesday, January 8. “You actually get to meet a lot of her family in this episode, which is fun. And you learn about her past, her origins, and the different worlds she belongs to, and how they’re vastly different from each other.”

Sigan said Cook’s past will reveal why he is so focused on the present and doing “a good job.” She claimed that the show’s return is an “action-packed ride” for Cook and the rest of the season will provide more “background on her and who she is and why she’s really unique to the unit”.

Chief Reid goes toe-to-toe with Voight

Over the course of Season 12, Reid was aware of everything Voight’s team was doing—good and bad—and looked the other way. However, Sigan said Our that his choice not to reprimand the team will come at a price.

“He’s a character who plays so many of his cards so close to the vest. And it’s hard for Voight to really read him,” the showrunner said of Reid, noting, “We’ve always seen Voight as a bit of a know-it-all. So being someone else is really fun.”

She called Reid a “fun home mirror for Voight”, meaning that the boss “works in the way Voight used to” but is “enhanced and over-the-top”.

“We’re going to learn more and more about him and his motivations as the season goes on,” Sigan teased. “But it’s definitely a game of cat and mouse and… it’s definitely a friendship that has a lot of strings attached.

Burgess Does It His Way

In Season 12, Episode 6, Burgess made a detectiveand viewers will see her in action in the second half of the season.

“There’s a really easy transition where he just takes that leadership role, he’s kind of running the offense,” Sigan explained. “You’re going to see her give orders more often, and she’s definitely going to be a little bit, maybe, overwhelmed or taken aback by how much (paperwork and) more responsibility (she has).”

While Burgess will have a lot to juggle, she’ll find her “groove” and leadership style, which Sigan said is “so different” than Hailey Upton’s past detectives (Tracy Spiridakos) and Jay Halstead (Jesse Lee Soffer).

“It feels like her own thing, which is much more, ‘I’m still your peer, but now I’m going to command you. Now I’m going to direct a little bit more,” Sigan continued. “I think everyone is so supportive and they fall into those roles as well.

Torres is not great

During the midseason finale, which aired in November 2024Torres’ past affair with whistleblower Gloria Perez (Yara Martinez) came to light when she was found running a drug deal in Chicago. Gloria died after helping the intelligence unit, and much to his surprise, Torres was not reprimanded by the chief for his bad behavior.

However, Torres is not doing “great” after the show’s return. “It brought up a lot for him,” Sigan said of the affair and Gloria’s death, adding that Torres’ background will continue to be investigated.

“(We’re revealing) why he was ever attracted to this woman and why he got into this affair and the kind of trauma that goes back to his childhood,” she said. Our. “And then also how current events are causing a bit of a crisis of faith.

Atwater’s love story doesn’t end there

Atwater agreed relationship without strings with Valeria “Val” Soto (Natalie Linez) during Season 12, Episode 3, and according to Sigan, this arrangement may change when Val returns in upcoming episodes.

“The nice thing about that relationship is that the way it started is almost like, ‘Let’s do something for us as a couple that’s just for us,'” she said. “But as time went on, how did it change and grow?”

The showrunner explained that Atwater will have to “decide, is this just an occasional thing that we both clearly need in our lives, or is it something more?

Sigan added: “We need to explore the reasons behind this for both couples and maybe why they don’t want something very serious. Is it a defense mechanism or is it because of how they have built their lives? She hinted that the dynamic will be “more emotional and deeper”.

Burzek will be closed

Squerciati previously said Our that he wants”white dress moment” for Burgess when she finally marries Ruzek. However, Flueger said Our that they think their style is more “court” wedding.

Sigan revealed that the on-screen wedding is “in the middle” between the two. “It’s been so long and they have this family — they have (daughter) Mikayla (and) she wants to express herself and I think she wants to party,” Sigan said. Our on Tuesday. “So it’s going to be kind of a middle ground for me to find what works for both of them, that it’s not a courthouse wedding, that they can have everyone they love there.”

She noted that it should also be a “simple” and “down-to-earth affair”, but scenes have yet to be shot. “I don’t know all the details,” Sigan admitted, adding that she “could see” Trudy Platt (Amy Morton) officiating.

Chicago P.D. airs Wednesdays at 10:00 PM ET on NBC.