In news that probably isn’t all that surprising, Chicago PD is losing an Intelligence team member. This happens now and then, and we were somewhat warned that a cast exit may happen.
Chicago PD, like many other Dick Wolf shows, is looking for ways to cut its budget. Reducing episode counts and cutting actors are the two main ways to do that. Sadly, though, it’s a character we’ve only just come to know in the series, as Toya Turner is the one not returning for Chicago PD season 13.
That means finding a way to write out Officer Kiana Cook, and there’s no doubt that she’ll likely be written out with one line in the premiere. Here are three ways that the show could believably write her out.
She couldn’t stand by Voight’s actions
In the Chicago PD season 12 finale, Voight made a decision to set up for Deputy Chief Reid to be killed. Chapman worked it out, and she was angry and sad that Voight had chosen to do this. It was clear that the team understood what had likely happened, but they probably decided they could stand by their boss. It’s not the first time he’s done something like this, and he covers for them all the time.
However, Kiana Cook is still relatively new to the team. She’s made it clear before that she can’t stand by people doing the wrong thing, even if for the right reason. It’s possible that while she won’t turn Voight in, she has decided she can’t work with him anymore and has asked for a transfer.
Someone else wants Kiana for themselves in Chicago PD
If someone does a great job, they get noticed. It’s possible that Cook’s year with Intelligence could open a few doors for her elsewhere in the police force. We know that she had been unfairly demoted to traffic cop because of a bad boss, and she had accepted that fate.
What if someone else in CPD wants her? This could lead to Voight agreeing to her switching to another team, especially if it’s good for her career. Alternatively, it may have been a job she really wanted, and she ended up asking for the transfer.
Her family forces her out in Chicago PD season 13
The 12th season involved tension between the two sides of her family. While she has remained with her dad, she has been in contact with her mom. We saw that her mom doesn’t like her being a cop, and it’s possible that her mom finally has a way to force her daughter out of CPD.
Alternatively, something may have happened off-screen with her dad that leads to Cook deciding to step back and go back to being a traffic cop. Being a traffic cop is slightly safer, and if she’s worried about her dad, she may prefer that line of work.
Chicago PD season 13 premieres on Wednesday, Oct. 1 at 10/9c on NBC.