With the return of ex-Chicago detective Hailey Upton, who is now an FBI Special Agent, the FBI plays a significant role in a three-episode crossover of the NBC TV series Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, and Chicago P.D. I reviewed the episodes, all titled The Reckoning, for teachable moments about the FBI.
Premise – Reckoning, Part I – Chicago Fire – S14E13:
Firehouse 51 rushes to the runway when the aircraft loses communication mid-flight. But what they uncover on the ground isn’t just a mechanical failure — it’s the beginning of a deadlier, unseen threat that could put thousands of lives at risk.
Premise – Reckoning, Part II – Chicago Med – S11E13:
At Gaffney, doctors confront a baffling medical crisis connected to the jet emergency. Patients present with alarming, unexplained symptoms, and the Med team must race to identify what happened on the aircraft before more people fall ill. Every minute counts as the crisis deepens — and its connection to the unfolding investigation becomes clearer.
Premise – Reckoning, Part III – Chicago P.D. – S13E13:
The night culminates with Chicago P.D., where the Intelligence Unit launches a high-stakes hunt for whoever is responsible. Under tight scrutiny from the FBI, Voight’s team digs into the case — only to discover it intersects with a federal investigation already in motion.
I hadn’t seen any of the Chicago TV shows prior to this, but my husband and daughters had. When they told me the crossover series featured an FBI investigation, I thought it would be interesting to review the episodes for teachable moments about FBI policy, procedures, and programs.
I binged the shows and watched as the FBI determined terrorists had used an unknown toxin as a weapon of mass destruction (WMD) to kill the crew and over one hundred passengers on a plane. Over the course of the three episodes, the FBI and Chicago One teams rushed to learn what the toxin was, find an antidote before more people died, and identify the person or persons responsible.
Let’s explore the FBI’s Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate (WMDD).
The WMDD was established to create a unique combination of law enforcement authorities, intelligence analysis capabilities, and technical subject matter expertise that exists nowhere else in the U.S. government, focused on preventing the proliferation of WMD material.
A WMD is defined by U.S. law (18 U.S.C. § 2332a) as any of the following:
- a destructive device, such as an explosive or incendiary bomb, rocket, or grenade
- a weapon that causes death or serious injury through toxic or poisonous chemicals
- a weapon that contains a biological agent or toxin
- a weapon that is designed to release dangerous levels of radiation or radioactivity
WMD often refers to all chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or explosive (CBRNE) weapon modalities. These weapons can have a large-scale impact on people, property, or infrastructure. (Credit: FBI – What We Investigate – WMDD)
I have one more topic I need to address. The writers inserted into the script my number two cliché: The FBI doesn’t play well with others. Here’s a few lines of dialogue from Part III when the FBI arrives on the scene as the Chicago PD prepared to execute arrest and search warrants.
FBI Agent Conway: “What do you think you’re doing?”
Sgt. Voight: “We had a lead.”
FBI Agent Conway: “This is a federal case, Sargeant. Under my control.”
Sgt. Voight: “Which you assigned me to run locally. We had a local lead.”
FBI Agent Conway: “We’ll take it from here. Your team can hold the perimeter.”
Army Operative Halstead: “Conway, Sir. You can’t do a kinetic breach. We haven’t cleared the building. You know what that chemical can do.”
Sgt. Voight: “You got to approach silent, Sir.”
FBI Agent Conway: “Your voices were heard. Step back.”
I understand why writers create scenes like this, where the FBI arrives and immediately starts bossing the local police around. They want to show conflict and tension. However, once again I have to reiterate that it doesn’t work that way.
Yes, the FBI is the lead federal agency for responding to threats from WMD. However, each field office has a designated WMD coordinator who serves as a liaison with regional, state, and local agencies. Before a WMD event occurs, the WMD agents have already introduced themselves to their counterparts, established protocols for responding to incidents, and probably even trained together during practical exercises. Those prior contacts are made to avoid situations like the one portrayed.
