LaRoyce Hawkins filmed his final Chicago P.D. episode in August, and viewers are about to see the farewell to Kevin Atwater, the character he has played for more than a decade.
LaRoyce’s final episode, “Don’t Blink,” airs Wednesday, October 14, at 9 p.m. Central on NBC. The second episode of Season 14 concludes his run as a series regular.
For Chicago, his departure has a hometown connection. The Harvey, Illinois, native has spent 13 full seasons with the Chicago production while using his success to support the community that helped shape him.
For Reel Chicago, it is an opportunity to recognize an actor whose work reaches well beyond the screen.
ALSO READ:
A hometown talent
Born and raised in the south Chicago suburb of Harvey, LaRoyce found an early outlet for his talents at Thornton High School. He moved from basketball to the speech team, winning state championships and developing the performance skills that would lead him into acting, comedy, and spoken word.
He attended Illinois State University on a full tuition scholarship, studying acting. His screen credits include the football drama The Express: The Ernie Davis Story and television appearances on House of Payne, Detroit 1-8-7, Underemployed and HBO’s Ballers. He also played Michael “Shaw” Owens on the Chicago comedy series South Side.
He first appeared as Atwater on Chicago Fire before joining the original Chicago P.D. ensemble when the series launched in 2014.
Through the years, LaRoyce helped build Atwater into a character whose responsibilities extended beyond the badge. Family, community and questions of conscience gave him room to bring both strength and vulnerability to the role.
Giving back to Harvey
LaRoyce’s commitment to Harvey has taken shape through projects that bring art, encouragement and neighborhood pride into shared public spaces.
His Be Powerful message grew from advice his grandfather gave him to value impact over popularity. That idea became a foundation for his community work.
One example is the Harvey World Wall, a mural project on the building directly across the street from City Hall. He worked with local officials, Restoration Ministries and artist Amoz Wright to bring together five artists, each contributing a section centered on hope and positive change. Completed in early 2021, the project transformed a building wall into a public showcase for their work. The mural marked the first step in his efforts to bring beauty to his hometown.
His involvement continued with Harvey’s Wall of Therapy mural at City Hall, completed in August 2026 with the message, “Greetings From Harvey.” The letters within the word “HARVEY” each contained their own story. Within the ‘V’ in ‘HARVEY,’ LaRoyce painted a tribute to the class of 2020, depicting graduates tossing their caps into the air, a celebration they missed when the pandemic made their graduation virtual. Other participating artists included LaRoyce’s brother, La’Mar. LaRoyce also joined community members in bringing food to the artists as they worked.
Through his Be Powerful initiative and Hood Development campaign, he supports community improvements, with a portion of his clothing proceeds helping fund projects in Harvey.
Reel Chicago has previously covered his work as a speaker, poet, comedian and mentor, along with his commitment to helping young people recognize their own potential.
That connection to home gives this farewell another dimension. Chicago audiences have watched a local performer build a lasting career while continuing to invest in the place where it began.
A farewell among colleagues
His partnership with Marina Squerciati’s character, Kim Burgess, provided one of the series’ longest connections, with the two characters coming up through the department together.
“He’s always kind and thoughtful and happy, and that didn’t change on his last day,” Squerciati told TV Insider.
In the same interview, she reflected on the sadness of losing a longtime colleague and the pride she takes in what they created together.
Former cast member Jesse Lee Soffer returned to direct LaRoyce’s farewell episode, bringing another original member of the Chicago P.D. family behind the camera.
“We really wanted to give the best sendoff that we could,” showrunner Gwen Sigan told TV Insider. She said the team worked to make the departure feel natural to Atwater and praised his performance.
Those details can be seen on Wednesday. For now, Reel Chicago salutes LaRoyce Hawkins for his years of work, his hometown pride, and his commitment to sharing his gifts.
Chicago P.D. airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. Central on NBC, with episodes streaming the following day on Peacock.
IF YOU ENJOYED THIS STORY
PLEASE SUPPORT US!
If you rely on the Reel as a source for information, or count on us to help you promote your news, then please make a donation, no matter how small, to help us continue publishing.
