Chicago P.D. Introduces Naiqui Macabroad as Officer “Penny” Watts in Season 14
Chicago P.D. introduced a new face to its Intelligence Unit in Season 14, Episode 4, “My Eye, My Call,” bringing actor Naiqui Macabroad into the NBC drama as Officer Donovan “Penny” Watts. Unlike a casting announcement that gives viewers advance notice of a new character, Watts made his debut on screen in the episode itself, leaving his future with the team an open question.
Watts is an enthusiastic beat cop who has spent the past six years patrolling Chicago’s 11th District. His familiarity with the neighborhood and its residents puts him in a position to help Sergeant Hank Voight and the Intelligence Unit investigate a homicide amid rising gun violence and stolen firearms linked to a group known as the “4 Corner Boys.”
When the investigation touches someone he knew, Watts steps forward to help. His instincts soon put him at odds with fellow officers, particularly during a raid on a suspected stash house. Voight tells him to hold back, but Watts moves ahead because he suspects children may be inside. He discovers a mother and her young son being held hostage, forcing the team to respond as the armed suspects refuse to surrender.
Watts’ willingness to trust his instincts is also behind his nickname. When Voight asks about “Penny,” the officer explains that he is a “bad penny,” someone who always turns up wherever trouble is brewing. He believes paying attention to what is happening around him is essential to staying safe and doing his job.
Voight sees value in that intuition and offers Watts a place in the Intelligence Unit. Watts accepts, while also questioning whether the offer reflects Voight’s confidence in him as a cop or the sergeant’s unfinished business in the 11th District. Voight acknowledges that both factors played a role.
The episode also hints at a past Watts is not ready to discuss. Voight notices sealed records from his time as a police officer in Durham, North Carolina, but Watts says he is legally unable to share details about that period of his career.
While the episode positions Watts as a potential addition to Voight’s team, NBC has not announced whether Macabroad’s role will be recurring or whether he has joined the series as a regular. His introduction comes early in Season 14, following the departure of LaRoyce Hawkins as Officer Kevin Atwater, who left the Intelligence Unit to take a teaching position at the police academy in Atlanta and focus on his family.
Macabroad’s previous television credits include StartUp, Gossip Girl, Power, The Conners and Law & Order, along with appearances in Black Lightning, Timeless, Diarra from Detroit and Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed.
Whether Watts becomes a lasting presence in the Intelligence Unit remains to be seen, but his first encounter with Voight gives the character a clear entry point into the team’s ongoing investigations.
Chicago P.D. airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on NBC, with new episodes streaming the following day on Peacock.