Chicago PD spoilers: What happened in season 9 episode 6?

Chicago PD took an emotional turn this week. Ruzek (Patrick Flueger) worked a case with a mentor of his, Sal Ortiz (Ricardo Chavira), and while the two men were initially happy to be working together, the intricacies of the case prove to split them apart.

“End of Watch” is a title with a multilayered meaning. There are literal watches involved in the case, but the allusion to the police term “end of watch” also hints at the turmoil Ruzek feels as he feels increasingly out of sorts with the way that police have to operate today.

Be warned that the rest of the post contains detailed spoilers for the latest episode of Chicago PD!

What happened on Chicago PD last night? (October 27th)

“End of Watch” opens, fittingly, with Ruzek. He gets caught up in a firefight at a shopping mall and attempts to chase the culprits, even though the officer who arrives on the scene tells him to stand down. Ruzek’s refusal leads to a civilian getting hit by a car, and he gets slapped with a citation.

Ruzek convenes with the rest of the CPD squad and through some legal red tape winds up working with an old hero of his, Sal Ortiz. He likens Sal to the father he never had, and gushes about his proficiency to Burgess (Marina Squerciati). Only when it comes time to close in on a suspect, Sal gets cold feet and nearly gets Ruzek killed due to his lack of backup.

As the episode wears on, Ruzek gets increasingly jaded with the current state of policing. He feels underappreciated by the higher-ups who are trying to punish him for protecting civilians, and his frustration grows when he finds out that Sal is struggling to pay the bills for his wife’s medical treatments.

Watch One Chicago on fuboTV: Watch over 67 live sports and entertainment channels with a 7-day FREE trial!

The investigation into the stolen merchandise, which consists of stolen watches, leads the CPD team to an empty hideout. They search the place for the watches, but find nothing. It’s here that Burgess puts two-and-two together. Sal searched the basement for the watches, but he later claims to have only checked the pantry. Sure enough, the security footage of the hideout shows Sal sneaking out to his car after the search– presumably to hide the watches.

Ruzek is opposed to Burgess’ accusation on the grounds that Sal is a good man, but the more he looks at the facts, the more he comes to realize that it’s true. In the end, Ruzek and Voight (Jason Beghe) catch Sal red-handed. They trick him into thinking that they will sweep the whole thing under the rug, but once they disarm him, the big reveal is that they were lying to him; just like he had been to them.

Ruzek laments Sal’s fate at a bar as the episode comes to a close. He tells Burgess he doesn’t want to end up a corrupted relic like his idol, and Burgess assures him that he’s a better man. Ruzek tearily accepts her encouragement and they leave the bar together.

For the latest Chicago PD season 9 spoilers and news, plus more on the entire series, follow the Chicago PD category at One Chicago Center.