Chicago PD delivers compelling weekly narratives, it’s crucial to understand the relationship between the show’s cases and real-life events in Chicago. While the series isn’t directly based on one specific true story, it draws significant inspiration from the broader criminal themes and urban issues that Chicago and other major cities frequently grapple with.
According to NBC Insider, the showrunner Rick Eid stated in 2021 that their goal is to show the audience what it’s really like to be police officers in Chicago in a reasonable way, making the issues and dilemmas they face feel authentic. To achieve this sense of realism, Chicago PD employs Brian Luce, a retired Chicago Police Department veteran, as a technical director and producer. Luce shares stories from his own experiences on the job and provides notes on scripts to enhance the show’s believability. He helps writers with story ideas, assists directors with choreographing action scenes, and guides actors on how real cops look, move, and talk.
The show often tackles common criminal activities such as petty crime, organized gangs, and drug trafficking, which are realities in a major urban center like Chicago. While the specific details of each case are fictionalized for television drama and the need to resolve investigations within an hour, the underlying themes and types of crimes are grounded in reality.
Furthermore, Chicago P.D. doesn’t shy away from depicting the challenges and complexities of policing in a major city. This includes the difficulties in community relations, the ethical dilemmas officers face, and the emotional toll of the job. These aspects, while dramatized, are inspired by the real experiences of law enforcement professionals.
Interestingly, the show even utilizes actual CPD officers as extras, further contributing to the sense of authenticity. As former casting assistant Cassie Gorniewicz mentioned, these officers wear their real uniforms, bringing a genuine representation of law enforcement to the screen.
However, it’s important to note that the high-octane action and dramatic resolutions seen in each episode are primarily the work of the show’s writers and are heightened for entertainment purposes. Real-life investigations are often more complex, time-consuming, and may not always have the clear-cut conclusions depicted on television.
Despite the dramatization, Chicago P.D. strives for realism in many fascinating ways, aiming to capture the spirit of law enforcement in Chicago by addressing relevant urban issues and the personal lives of the officers. The input from a real CPD veteran ensures that even though the cases aren’t directly lifted from headlines, they resonate with the realities of policing in a major American city.
