Even though Chicago P.D. just kicked off its 14th season on the 2026 TV schedule, we have to come to terms with the fact that we're at the end of an era. LaRoyce Hawkins is set to leave Chicago P.D. this Wednesday, and it’s going to be emotional. However, the showrunner told me there is going to be one sweet detail that the fans will love.It was announced over the summer that Hawkins, who has been portraying Officer Kevin Atwater since the very beginning of Chicago P.D., would be exiting the series in Season 14. He filmed his final episode in August, and it’s been confirmed that it will indeed be airing this week. While not too much has been shared about what’s in store for his big farewell, showrunner Gwen Sigan told CinemaBlend it will happen in true Atwater fashion. Plus, the episode was directed by someone very special to the Chicago P.D. family:We wanted to make it something that felt positive, that felt like a send-off that was very true to his character and everything that we've set up for all the years that his character has been a part of this family, and we wanted it to feel hopefully very optimistic. And that was the goal. And I think LaRoyce's performance is great. The direction is great. Jesse [Lee Soffer] came back to direct this one. So it felt like it was all sort of in the family in a way, and I hope you can feel that on screen.Jesse Lee Soffer departed Chicago P.D. as Detective Jay Halstead early in Season 10, and like Hawkins, he was also an original cast member. He’s returned a few times since to direct, and even made his on-screen return as Jay last season during the One Chicago crossover. Overall, it's sweet that he wanted to come back for Hawkins’ final episode. While the reunion may not happen on-screen, I can only imagine what the atmosphere was like off-screen while they filmed this goodbye.Even though fans won’t have much time to say so long to Atwater, there is still going to be a lot to look forward to. The end of the Season 14 premiere saw him getting a call from partner and former Academy peer Tasha (Karen Obilom), and she told him that she’s in labor with their baby. Since fans didn’t get to see the three of them before the episode’s end, Sigan assured that Wednesday’s episode will have plenty of sweet moments that will ultimately factor into Atwater’s decisions about his future:I think we have a whole lot of really nice scenes coming up. You do get to see the family unit; you do get to see what it looks like; you do get to see, sort of, yes, the stress that comes with a brand new baby, but also some of the joy and some of the sweetness of those moments. And especially for Atwater, I think it's something that he probably dreamed of for a long time. And, you know, he has been a father in some ways. He raised his siblings, but this is his child. This is his child with Tasha. And I think we see this change in him, and we see how it affects him in a really nice, relatable way. And it obviously also comes with some decisions for him to make in the future.It’s always sad having to say goodbye to a character, especially one that’s been on a show for such a long time. I don’t think any fan is ready to say goodbye to Hawkins or Atwater. However, since Chicago P.D. has a knack for bringing back former characters from time to time, it’s possible this won’t be the last we see him. Whatever happens in Hawkins’ final episode, it will surely be emotional, and one that fans won’t want to miss. Tune in on Wednesday to see Atwater’s farewell at 10 p.m. ET on NBC, streaming the next day with a Peacock subscription.