Chicago P.D. Season 14 Leaves Intelligence Unit Down Another Officer as Benjamin Levy Aguilar Surprisingly Vanishes
Following the emotional departure of LaRoyce Hawkins’ long-running character, Kevin Atwater, Chicago P.D. fans knew the Intelligence Unit would feel significantly smaller heading into Season 14, Episode 3 (“The Lost Years”). Atwater made the life-altering choice in Episode 2 to step away from the dangerous streets of Chicago and take a new position in Atlanta, prioritizing being present for his son rather than putting his life on the line every shift.
With Atwater’s exit reducing Intelligence to a core group of five, viewers were eager to see how District 21 would adapt. What audience members didn’t anticipate, however, was that the procedural would immediately bench another key team member without giving any on-screen explanation.
Benjamin Levy Aguilar Missing in Episode 3
When the episode aired, Benjamin Levy Aguilar’s character, Dante Torres, was nowhere to be found. The hour offered zero dialogue or narrative context regarding Torres’ location or duties. Instead, Sergeant Hank Voight led a stripped-down team composed of just three officers—Kim Burgess, Adam Ruzek, and Officer Imani—to solve a horrific case involving a young woman who was killed and dismembered.
To seasoned followers of Dick Wolf’s One Chicago universe, a main character suddenly skipping an hour isn’t entirely unprecedented. Across the franchise, production cost-cutting strategies frequently require series regulars to rotate out for select episodes during a season. While storylines occasionally craft a quick line of dialogue to excuse a character’s absence, writers sometimes leave the absence completely unaddressed. Still, benching Aguilar during the very first hour after Hawkins’ permanent departure made for an unexpected choice, leaving Intelligence operating with a skeletal four-person crew.
A Voight-Centric Focus Takes Center Stage
Despite operating shorthanded, the narrative structure turned the roster contraction into a unique showcase for Sergeant Voight. Rather than dividing the unit into standard partner pairings, the reduced lineup allowed Voight to personally take to the pavement and conduct field investigations alongside each officer.
Throughout the episode, viewers were treated to distinct one-on-one dynamics, highlighting individual beats between Voight and Ruzek, Voight and Burgess, and Voight working alongside Imani.
The trimmed unit also created ample room to deepen the season’s overarching political drama. The hour dedicated substantial screen time to FBI Agent Charlie Boyden, the official tasked with auditing Voight’s precinct. Viewers gained fresh insights into Boyden’s backstory while watching him go toe-to-toe with Voight, cementing the auditor as a formidable presence setting up a much larger role in upcoming episodes.
Will Dante Torres Return in Episode 4?
The lingering question for fans is when Torres will return to active duty. While viewers hope to see him back in the bullpen for Episode 4, his absence from the episode’s promotional teaser has raised concerns that this hiatus might extend beyond a single week.
Until NBC releases official promotional stills or broadcast details for the next installment, viewers are left waiting to see whether Intelligence will operate with its full five-person roster or if Torres will remain sidelined a bit longer.
