Chicago P.D. characters, these call signs are meant to represent them instead.

In the One Chicago universe, all the call signs in Chicago P.D.'s Intelligence Unit start with 5021. The 50 represents Chicago P.D.'s specific unit in their fictional world, while the 21 represents the unit's district in Illinois. In addition, each character is given a name from the Police Phonetic Alphabet to represent them. Their call signs may seem random at times, but they also have a meaning.

10 Voight: 5021 Adam

Voight Usually Drops The Adam To Go By 5021 On Its Own

Chicago P.D.'s Hank Voight has the simplest call sign, and that is because he is a sergeant and also the leader of the Intelligence Unit. While earlier Chicago P.D. seasons sometimes see Voight using or being referred to as 5021 Adam, he most commonly drops the name to go by the numerical call sign instead. This is because everyone else has a code name, so if he drops his, it does not make much of a difference, and it leads to quicker calls for help.

9 Olinsky: 5021 Charlie

Olinsky's Call Sign Represents His Rank

Olinsky's call sign being close to the beginning of the alphabet is significant because of his connection to Voight, as the two used to be partners. Call signs are typically handed out from A-Z, and it makes sense that older or more advanced officers would be given their call signs first. As a result, Olinsky received 5021 Charlie, signifying not only his rank but also his strong relationship with the unit's leader.

8 Atwater: 5021 David in the Intelligence Unit

Atwater Is 2113 As A Patrol Officer

As another major officer in Voight's unit, Atwater also has a call sign that is close to the beginning of the alphabet. He has been a major character in Chicago P.D. since season 1. However, his code name as a patrol officer is different because police units need different call signs, regardless of whether the codes apply to the same person.

7 Burgess: 5021 Eddie in the Intelligence Unit

Burgess Is 2113 As A Patrol Officer

While Burgess is also a significant character in the Intelligence Unit, she has a lower-ranking call sign. However, that has less to do with her skills as an officer and more to do with the fact that the other letters were already taken. Her code as a patrol officer is interesting because it is the same as Atwater's code. The 21 likely refers to their district in Illinois, like in the 5021 call sign, and the 13 likely refers to the code for a general patrol officer.

6 Dawson: 5021 Frank

Dawson's Name Foreshadowed His Departure

As Dawson was Voight's second-in-command, it should be expected that his call sign would reflect that by starting with a letter at the beginning of the alphabet. However, his name was used as a way to foreshadow his leave in season 6. The starting letter's distance in the alphabet represents and foreshadows Dawson's distance from the team when he eventually decides to leave for his health.

5 Halstead: 5021 George

The Significance Of Halstead's Call Sign Mirrors Dawson's

Halstead was such a significant character that his departure was incredibly shocking. However, his call sign seemed to foreshadow his disappearance before it happened. When Halstead left Chicago P.D., he was still using his code, 5021 George.

While a lower letter in the alphabet does not necessarily represent a character's exit, in this case, it did. By having more distance between his letter and Voight's, Chicago P.D. inadvertently foreshadowed Halstead's departure.

4 Upton: 5021 Henry

Upton's Call Sign Represents Emotional Distance

Like many other characters, Chicago P.D.'s Hailey Upton also has a lower-ranking call sign. However, her lower rank has less to do with her eventual decision to leave and more to do with the emotional distance she feels from Voight and her work at the Intelligence Unit. While Upton left in season 11, it was the aftermath of season 8 when Upton killed Roy and Voight covered it up that really showed the difference in mental strength between Upton and Voight. Therefore, her distanced call sign also represents her character's distance, but in a different way.

3 Ruzek: 5021 Ida

Ruzek's Call Sign Doesn't Follow A Pattern

Ruzek is perhaps the only Chicago P.D. character whose call sign does not follow a pattern. His call sign starts with a lower letter of the alphabet, but he has remained a significant character all the way up to Chicago P.D. season 12, and will likely continue to be one in later seasons as well. His call sign does not represent distance, it just represents circumstances. Ruzek simply has a lower-ranking call sign because everything else was taken

2 Lindsay: 5021 Lincoln

Lindsay's Call Sign Is Unique

Lindsay is the only Chicago P.D. character so far whose name matches their call sign. Seeing how most call signs are given out based on alphabetical order, her call sign likely has less to do with her character and more to do with the showrunners wanting one name to match their call sign. However, her code could have also foreshadowed distance as Upton left Chicago P.D. in season 4.

1 Torres: 5021 Ocean

Torres' Call Sign Represents His Arrival

Despite there being a few letters in between Lindsay's old code name and Torres' new one, Torres' name is 5021 Ocean, literally representing the letter O in the Police Phonetic Alphabet. However, figuratively, his name represents the distance of his arrival to Chicago P.D. Torres only ed the show in season 9. While he is a fantastic officer, it took some time for him to prove himself to the team, which is why his call sign starts with a low O.

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