Since its premiere in 2014, the Chicago Fire spinoff Chicago PD has seen many characters leave. The saddest exit was definitely Jay Halstead, the heartthrob known for his no-nonsense personality and serious romances with Hailey Upton and Erin Lindsay.
Thanks to contracts ending, character deaths, or actors wanting to take advantage of other opportunities, it’s of course common for a character to leave a popular TV show. Just like fans wonder where Torres (Benjamin Levy Aguilar) went, Jay’s exit is still a major topic of discussion. Here’s what happened to this beloved character.
Where did Jay go on Chicago PD and why did Jesse Lee Soffer leave?
After appearing on Chicago PD from seasons 1 through 10, Jay Halstead made his final appearance in the third episode of season 10, “A Good Man.” After going to Bolivia to stop a cartel with the United States Army, he realized this was what he wanted to do, and he became a member of the Army.
Chicago PD does a great job of showing the complex layers of working for the Intelligence Unit of a police force. While Jay has years of experience, he felt it was emotionally overwhelming to continue the career he had worked so hard for. Jay showed growth when he made the decision, because instead of living the same old life, he wanted to do something different that made more sense to him. As he told Hailey, “I took the job. I’ll be posted in Bolivia. It’s black and white. It’s good and bad. It’s right and wrong. It’s no more of this. I need that. I need that back.”
Jay’s exit was particularly emotional, since it seemed like he and Hailey would end up together. But unfortunately for fans, Chicago PD confirmed their divorce in season 11. Jesse Lee Soffer chose to leave Chicago PD and told Variety that he hoped “to grow and expand” as an actor. But he still thinks fondly of the procedural and seems to be having fun behind the camera. He returned to direct the season 10 episode “Deadlocked” and will also direct episode 12 of season 11.