Officer Kevin Atwater is a police officer for the Chicago Police Department. He is partnered with Officer Kim Burgess on patrol. Since the end of Season 1, he has worked in the Intelligence Unit. He is portrayed by LaRoyce Hawkins.
Biography[]
Kevin's father Lew was sent to prison for robbery and his mother died several years later. Kevin was close to his father before the trouble and spent many years angry at how he was out of life, as well as how he was not allowed to visit him because he was not on the list. However, he eventually put aside his resentment to step up and care for his siblings.
Kevin mentions that because of his father and many of his relatives being in prison, this scared him into staying out of trouble and he chose to be a cop to ensure he makes something of himself.
In Disco Bob, he mentions to several of his cousins and an aunt work at a catering company called The Grill, that helps ex-cons.
For a majority of his life, Atwater has been the legal guardian to his younger siblings, Vinessa and Jordan. However, after events in Snitch and Home involving the two, he decides to let them move to Texas to live with their aunt ensure their safety. He still keeps in contact with them and misses them dearly.
Season 1[]
Atwater takes pride in his job as a patrol officer. Usually, he is the driver of a squad car in a partnership arrangement. He has been undercover with Olinsky once, and is seen to be very good at it.
Both Atwater and Burgess are constant targets of Desk Sergeant Platt's attitude. However, they are generally able to laugh it off after shift.
When Platt assigns Atwater and Burgess a new squad car, the car is not to be damaged. However, during an ill-fated arrest of a psychotic suspect, the mirror of the car is knocked off. Atwater uses an old connection from his neighborhood to fix the mirror, but it ends up having construction debris fall onto the hood soon after, much to his and Burgess' chagrin.
In The Docks, he is promoted to Hank Voight's Intelligence unit after an opening appears, much to his joy.
Season 2[]
During Prison Ball, after asking Burgess to watch Vinessa, Kevin, Ruzek, and Dawson go undercover to infiltrate a prison after a ten year old girl is killed. Kevin took this case to heart because his sister was the same age as her. Kevin is able to get close to the person who arranged the hit but is forced to fight him after other prisoners identified him as a cop (due to one perp recognizing him). Fortunately Kevin survives and defeats the three men. He nearly kills him but Dawson stops it but Kevin takes pleasure in knowing that he caught the man with a full confession. At the precinct, he gives comfort to the mother of the girl by telling her that they got the man responsible.
During There's My Girl, Kevin is briefly demoted back to patrol for the death of an inmate on his watch.
In Born Into Bad News, he pays his demotion no mind after he is cleared of the inmates death. After he helps in saving Lindsay, Kevin is given back his job intelligence by Hank again. He is pleased by this, sharing a good moment with Trudy about this.
Season 3[]
He is offered the position of being the best man for Adam and Burgess's wedding.
In Climbing Into Bed, Kevin brutally interrogates a man on answers due to the fact that a criminal has already gotten away with killing four people. After getting him to comply, Kevin gives the answers to his Sergeant and they go after the man.
During You Never Know Who's Who, Kevin and Intelligence locate a dead body in a park. The unit investigate the home of the man and are shocked that he has an Arsenal of weapons in the basement.
Season 4[]
Season 5[]
Season 6[]
During Black and Blue, Kevin is involved with a girl named Laila whilst helping her friend Nathan but is horrified that she was involved with a murder. Kevin helps her with putting her former friend Kenny to incriminate himself but the latter is found dead. He is dismayed that she is sentenced to three years in prison while he discovers that Nathan was the shooter. Upon confronting him, Kevin finds the gun that was used in the murder. Rather than arrest him, Kevin instead disposes of the gun by throwing it off the bridge.
During Trust, Kevin is shot and brought to the hospital. His colleagues weren't pleased, especially Voight because the criminal who shot Kevin was released by Brian Kelton who Voight was unable to confront because Jay (knowing how his Sergeant would react) appeared to stop him before he does something to Kelton.
In Night In Chicago, Kevin infiltrated a gang and warms up to one of the members Darryl. On the way to meet the leader Gamble, they are pulled over by racists cops. Although Kevin tried to talk the way out of it Daryl is shot and killed. The intelligence unit make sure to keep his cover safe so that he could continue to infiltrate the gang. He's later angry about how the situation went down. Regardless Kevin carries on with his assignment after arresting Gamble. His teammates try to comfort him by meeting they don't know what he's going through but tell him that they're on his side something he appreciates. Because of what he has witnessed Kevin is caught in the world of politics by an alderman and others when he goes to make a statement.
After giving his statement to his superiors Kevin goes to confront the man Doyle at the bar. Kevin tells Doyle that he told their superiors the truth, Daryl reached for the gun and attacked. Doyle was surprised by Kevin's defending of him. Outside Kevin proceeds to give the man a vicious beating for all of his actions. He also makes the man see the situation he put him through by putting a gun to his head. After doing so, Kevin proceeds to walk away from the scene satisfied.
Season 7[]
He reunited with his brother Jordan in Mercy and their standing became turbulent, when Jordan was involved with a girl who committed a crime.
During 43rd and Normal , Kevin attempts to mend the fences with his brother but the latter rejects him, even punching him out of frustration. At the end, Kevin once more approaches his brother in this time Jordan allows it.
At some point between Assets and Familia, he was recommended for the promotion to detective.
Notes and Trivia[]
- Kevin used a Glock 17 as his sidearm from Seasons 1-5. In Season 6, he switches this out for a Springfield Champion Lightweight.
- His radio code is 5021 David. His Badge Number is 52784.
- His Class A uniform displays the Department Emblem of Recognition + Fitness Bar, Department Commendation Award, Presidential Election Deployment Award, and Unit Meritorious Performance Award.
- During Season 4, Kevin started using a Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat as a police car. As a patrol officer, he has previously driven a Ford Crown Victoria and Chevrolet Impala and uses both occasionally as unmarked vehicles on sting operations.
- Before the Hellcat, he has used Dawson's Dodge Ram 1500 following his departure from Intelligence, wrecking it only once.
Gallery[]
.jpg "Kevin Atwater Season 1 (Original).jpg (67 KB)")
.jpg "Kevin Atwater Season 3 (Original).jpg (100 KB)")
Appearances[]
| Season 11 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unpacking | Retread | Safe Harbor | Escape | Split Second |
| Survival | The Living and The Dead | On Paper | Somos Uno | Buried Pieces |
| The Water Line | Inventory | More | ||
Chicago Fire[]
Season 1[]
- Let Her Go (1x23)
Season 2[]
- A Problem House (2x01)
- Prove It (2x02)
- Tonight's the Night (2x13)
- A Dark Day (2x20)
Season 3[]
- Just Drive the Truck (3x03)
- Ambush Predator (3x12)
Season 4[]
- Short and Fat (4x09)
- I Will Be Walking (4x19)
Season 7[]
- This Isn't Charity (7x04)
Season 8[]
- Infection, Part I (8x04)
- Off the Grid (8x15)
Season 10[]
- Dead Zone (10x06)
- Whom Shall I Fear (10x07)
Chicago Med[]
Season 5[]
- Never Going Back to Normal (5x01)
- Infection, Part II (5x04)
- A Needle in the Heart (5x20)
Season 6[]
Season 7[]
Season 8[]
Chicago Justice[]
Season 1[]
- Uncertainty Principle (1x02)
- Drill (1x10)