Officer Eva Imani (Ari Mandi) stormed into the Chicago P.D. fold in the Season 13 premiere with glory and grit, making a debut that instantly impressed Intelligence Unit commander Hank Voight (Jason Beghe).
P.D.’s Season 13 premiere (“Consequences”) picked up a month after the Intelligence Unit was disbanded, with Voight desperate to get the squad reinstated. After witnessing a gun deal gone wrong while working patrol, Voight took matters into his own hands with an under-the-table investigation. Sure, the squad was technically not back, but they were all down to help. Soon, Voight’s investigation led him to meet an undercover cop for the CPD’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms (ATF), none other than Officer Eva Imani.
From the moment viewers met Eva Imani, they could tell she wasn’t to be messed with when on a case, sharing a tenacity and infallible dedication similar to Voight.
A spot was open on Intelligence when Cook left
Not only was the team dismantled, but they were also down one member. Voight revealed early on in the episode that Officer Kiana Cook (Toya Turner) joined another squad and “took a spot on the 17th” in the month since the unit was broken up. This meant there was room for a new officer.
Voight crossed paths with ATF Officer Eva Imani while following a lead
While tracking down a lead for Voight, Adam Ruzek (Patrick John Flueger) ran into a woman who appeared to be helping a suspect — the undercover Eva Imani. After Eva “let” her contact get away from Ruzek, she was apprehended, only stopping her struggle once Voight showed up with his firearm.
“Put down the gun, you idiot,” Eva snapped. “I’m on duty with the ATF.”
Voight learned that Eva had spent a month surveilling a crew of gun runners with the ATF. Voight asked if they might have been going after the same perps, but Eva gave him the cold shoulder, explaining that she owed no explanation to a “beat Sergeant” while insisting on them letting her go.
Still unsure if Eva was telling the truth, Voight called Kim Burgess (Marina Squerciati) to help him follow Eva to verify her story. While driving after Eva, Voight confirmed her status as a cop with the CPD, learning that Eva had been placed at the ATF directly from the academy.
After verifying the details, the CPD operator added, “I’ve never heard so many stories about someone making so few friends.”
Eva Imani covered for Voight before teaming up with him
Eva was lucky that she was followed, because Burgess found Eva at home just when her contact discovered she was undercover. As Burgess broke in, she found Eva in the middle of being strangled. After getting the perp off Eva, Burgess was seconds away from being shot herself before Voight arrived and shot the perp down.
Upon looking at the bloody mess, Eva was confused. Voight didn’t have time for answers, he encouraged Burgess to get out of dodge while telling Eva that Burgess had never been there. Voight explained that they’d followed Eva to verify her undercover status, but begged her not to say anything about Burgess working off-duty.
After their frustrated supervisors arrived, Eva covered for Voight, lying to their commanding officers and saying that she asked Voight to follow her after she suspected that her contact had her made. The supervisors bought Eva’s story while Voight found himself appreciating her facade. Eva told their bosses that she could Voight’s help, leading them to team up on the investigation of Raptor, the leader of the gun-running operation.
From the moment Voight met Eva, they clicked. Eva doesn’t care about protocol as much as she cares about results — and her supervisors didn’t do things how she liked. Sound familiar? As Voight and Eva commiserated over their supervisors, Eva learned Voight was on a mission to get his unit back.
Just as Eva and Hank were on Raptor’s tail, she got a call from one of her ATF supervisors to back off despite Raptor being a flight risk. Eva fought back against her supervisor, ultimately ignoring her commanding officer in an effort to apprehend Raptor once and for all. Eva encouraged Voight to slam the gas and intercept Raptor’s vehicle, leading to a tense but successful takedown.
Despite Eva’s month-long operation, she encouraged Voight to make the arrest. Her ATF supervisors planned on cutting Raptor a deal to gain his contacts, but Eva wanted him in prison for life for all of the lives he took. Voight agreed, in total sync with her ideology.
Meanwhile, Voight made a shocking discovery during his team-up with Eva: many of the stolen guns traced back to the CPD’s IAD department, but they were never reported stolen. Aware that this was valuable leverage, Voight asked Eva for some ATF-assisted help in getting his unit back.
Voight recruited Eva Imani for the newly formed Intelligence Unit
After successfully blackmailing the IAD Commander with ATF’s findings, Voight returned to the reinstated Intelligence Unit. But he had one matter of business to attend to before inviting the squad back. As Eva Imani arrived at the bullpen, Voight learned that she’d been fired.
“It’s fine, I was feeling like it was time to pack up anyway, move somewhere else. I don’t really like to stay put for too long,” Eva shrugged. “Plus, that boss was a damn idiot.”
Eva added that her former supervisor had horrible instincts and “moved like a slug.” Voight knew that none of that went down in his Intelligence Unit, though.
“Why don’t you run with us for a while?” Voight asked.
“You got your unit back?” Eva asked, to which Voight confirmed he had an open spot. Eva was hesitant, telling Voight it was a “terrible idea.”
“What is?” Voight pondered.
“You don’t want me,” Eva said.
“I’m not gonna convince you: it’s yes or no,” Voight said. “I’ll give you a long leash.”
At that, Eva came around. “OK, just for a while,” she told Voight, officially joining the Intelligence Unit.
As Voight gathered his officers at the bullpen for the first time in a month, he was excited to see his newly reinstated team, Eva included.
“Let’s get back to work,” Voight encouraged them, setting the stage for an action-packed Season 13.
Learn more about the enigmatic Officer Eva Imani by watching Season 13 of Chicago P.D. on Wednesdays at 10/9c on NBC, or stream episodes the next day on Peacock.
