Chicago PD Season 11: Upton Plot Details Revealed Ahead Of Tracy Spiridakos' Exit

Even though Hailey Upton's time on "Chicago P.D." is about to come to an end with the exit of her actress, Tracy Spiridakos, from the long-running police drama, it appears that the character will be anything but idle during her last few months on the show. Per TV Insider, Hailey will have her hands full when the series returns for an abbreviated season on January 17. The first episode of Season 11 will feature the cop exploring her emotional baggage thanks to a confrontation with a mental health clinician connected to a crisis prevention team she's elected to shadow. Hailey's ways clash with those promoted by the crisis prevention world, and she soon finds herself coping with her fears and emotions — including dealing even further with the end of her marriage to Jay Halstead (Jesse Lee Soffer). Who'll be there to help her shoulder her sadness? It turns out it's none other than her mentor and close friend, Hank Voight (Jason Beghe).

That Hailey's embarking on a big emotional journey as she prepares to leave Chicago for good will be no surprise to fans of the show. When the audience last saw Hailey in the last few scenes of Season 10, she'd just removed her wedding ring — a gesture of acceptance regarding the death of her marriage. This is going to require a lot of soul-searching on her part, and according to the series' showrunner, it's just one part of the puzzle that forms Hailey's last stand.

It looks like Hailey Upton's final story arc will be an emotional one, forcing her to confront things she'd rather not think of — at least according to "Chicago P.D." showrunner Gwen Sigan. "We find her at the start of this season in a precarious place; wanting to move her life forward after finally taking off her ring, finding that it's more difficult than she'd like," Sigan told TV Line. She added that Upton's going to have to face up to her own weaknesses, problems, and struggles — the problem is she doesn't know how to confront them at first.

Therefore, it's likely that Hailey will spend the rest of the season trying to figure out where she stands with her job, her life, and her personal affairs. What she decides to do and where she decides to go will likely take her right off the series;  Tracy Spiridakos' departure from "Chicago P.D." has not been narrowed to a definable date, but will occur before the shortened Season 11 is up. Fans will have to hold tight to see if the show gives Jay Halstead and Hailey the desired April and Ethan-style exit they may have seen on sister show "Chicago Med."