Officer Adam Ruzek is a member of the CPD Intelligence Unit. He is portrayed by Patrick John Flueger.
Biography[]
Adam's parents divorced when he was a child. Bob Ruzek, his father, served with both Sergeant Voight and Detective Olinsky, Adam's former partner. This is most likely the reason that Adam sought to become a police officer. Growing up, Adam was very close to his father who made the time out of his busy job to spend as much time as he could with him.
When he was 18, Adam was engaged to his girlfriend Nicole but broke it off as both felt they were too young. He later attended classes at the police academy. When Intelligence needed an undercover officer, Adam was taken right out of the Academy. Since then, he has remained a member of Intelligence.
Later on, he became engaged in to a woman named Wendy. He did not reveal to her too much about what goes on at work to protect her. They were shown to have a close and playful relationship, sending racy photos of each other back and forth.
While Adam is very eager to please, he sometimes makes impulsive decisions (such as accepting a call from his fiancé during a stakeout). This creates friction between himself and Olinsky to such an extent that in Different Mistakes, Olinsky had patrol officer Kevin Atwater temporarily join the Intelligence unit while Ruzek is demoted to patrol with Burgess, Olinsky doing it because he believed Ruzek hadn't appreciated being in Intelligence as he was recruited to the unit straight out of the CPD Academy.
Season 1[]
Adam and a patrol woman Kim Burgess had a close working friendship, frequently spending time bantering at work. He even helps Burgess get revenge on Platt, a desk Sergeant who treats Burgess and Atwater (before he became a part of Intelligence), as well as most other officers horribly. After a particularly stressful call, Adam and Kim shared a kiss. Kim regretted this almost instantly as Adam was engaged.
During a shootout with Jacob Sims, Adam is shot in the chest. The injury is not severe as his Kevlar vest deflected most of the shot.
During Conventions, Adam is reprimanded by Alvin but they later reconcile and work with NYPD detectives to pursue a serial killer who has been elusive to them. Adam redeems himself when spotting the lookout who is detained and they get a location. Adam spots him and enters a standoff with him, while giving his team clues to their location. Fortunately, Alvin snipes the killer to save a captive, ending his spree.
Towards the end of Season one, he broke up with Wendy becoming involved in a secret romantic relationship with Officer Kim Burgess.
Season 2[]
Burgess and Ruzek's relationship grows.
During Shouldn't Have Been Alone, when Kim is shot, it brings it home to Ruzek how he feels about her. He also treats Roman with hostility by Ruzek for allowing Kim to get hurt but it is soon dropped. After Kim recovers, the two admit they love each other and their relationship becomes known to colleagues so they don't need to hide it anymore.
During Disco Bob, a double murder case brings him to a meet up with his father who he noticed was resentful of Voight, leading to an argument between the Ruzek men. Much later, a young boy who was hurt in the robbery identifies the assailant and the unit locates him at the train station. Ruzek personally pursues him until he is able to apprehend him and the man gives up the daughter's boyfriend as the orchestrator to get a deal. After the case, he and his father meet at a bar.
In the finale, Ruzek proposes to Burgess in the locker room, as he wanted to keep it informal. She accepts his proposal and they share a passionate kiss.
Season 3[]
In A Dead Kid, a Notebook and a Lot of Maybes, Adam and Antonio visit the mother of a teen suspected in being involved with an attempted bombing. He shows the mother proof that her was looking into dangerous things until it is revealed the boy was supposedly abused by his pedophilic swim instructor. Much later, he and Alvin find the latter at a house party. Adam silently threatened the protesting perp to make a scene, just so he'd have an excuse to humiliate him by dragging him across the lawn. However, the instructor complied and was hauled off. While preparing dinner for Kim, he is surprised when Alvin and his daughter Michelle Sovana come live with him after Merdith kicked Alvin out.
It was revealed in Hit Me, that Ruzek still loves Kim especially when she injured by a dangerous perp wants nothing more than to resume his relationship with her. However, he is dismayed by her rejection and turns back to the case.
In the beginning of A Night Owl, Adam was confused by how a meek college professor suddenly became a drug trafficker. Investigating the case led to the deaths of several people including a boy, though revealed that the man had some secrets that he kept from his family but it got him involved with the wrong people. Adam remarked that the Professor was living dangerously and was being played. After the Professor's daughter is snatched, he turns on his supposed lover and the unit uses the con man's brother as leverage. They enter a shootout with the kidnappers but successfully saved the girl.
During If We Were Normal, he notices Roman and Kim begin to show much more to their relationship. Much later, Adam gets irritated tells Roman if he wants to date her and he could. When Kim walks off, he walks after his partner Burgess who surprised him with a kiss.
Season 4[]
During Don't Read the News, it is revealed by Voight that he took an undercover job. His spot was taken by former Narcotics officer Kenny Rixton.
After his assignment's completion, he returns while hoping his job with Intelligence is still open but found it filled. Ruzek then talks to Voight about his old spot in Intelligence and if he can get it back. Voight can't give Ruzek his old spot so he had to work in Uniform.
In Favor, Affection, Malice or Ill-Will Ruzek is cleaning his locker when Rixton tells him that he was good friends with his father. He also reveals he has accepted a job offer to be the second hand of a narcotics team, to which Ruzek then returns to Intelligence.
Season 5[]
He doesn't get back together with Kim until Season 5, and their relationship blossoms once again in Confidential when they kiss at Molly's. It is unknown when they end it thereafter.
Season 6[]
In Homecoming, Adam is one of the pallbearers to Alvin and pays tribute to his fallen partner.
In Descent, Adam partakes in the rescue of saving Antonio’s daughter. He is shocked to learn that Antonio has a painkiller addiction which resulted in the kidnapper. Adam and Voight find the kidnapper, before Antonio appears to violently beat up and pushes the criminal out of a window, instantly killing him.
From Bad Boys to Sacrifice, he dated fellow detective Hailey Upton. They both agreed they were better off as friends, it is implied that he still loves Kim Burgess.
In Reckoning, Adam is arrested for his part in trying to bring down Brian Kelton. He tells his squad that he’d rather not see them as he is being taken into custody by IAD.
Season 7[]
The episode Doubt shows Ruzek has been stripped of his police powers and he is awaiting trial, due to taking the fall for something Antonio did. However, in Assets, Ruzek's case was dismissed by a favor pulled by Voight, which grants Ruzek his position in Intelligence once again, whilst fortifying his loyalty to the latter.
During No Regrets, Ruzek learns that he got ex-fiancé Kim Burgess pregnant with his child. As a result of the news, he is shocked and asks her what she intends to do. After the case with a rescue missing woman who was held captive for years, Kim informs Adam that she has decided to give birth and he tells her that he will support her. However, the baby was lost in a miscarriage.
Season 8[]
In White Knuckle Ruzek gets shot in the stomach, but luckily his vest saves him.
Later, in Instinct Ruzek CI Tommy Lane work together on a drug deal. Tommy struggles with addiction, and Adam tries to help him get clean, but also gives buys him drugs to keep him going for the case. Sadly, Tommy gets killed during the bust.
In The Radical Truth Ruzek's dad, Bob Ruzek, gets kidnapped because he owes money from gambling. The kidnapper wanted the name of an informant in return for the money but Bob can't give it because of his access level as a traffic officer. Luckily, the team saves Bob. They find the kidnapper, Barela, and Adam and Kim go after him. Shots are fired, and Barela gets killed. At first, it seems like revenge, but footage shows it was a clean shot. However, Kim Burgess initially thought it might be connected to her dad's kidnapping and the truth coming out about Bob gambling debt.
In Trouble Dolls Kim Burgess asks Adam to be Makayla's guardian, and he agrees.
Season 9[]
Season 10[]
In the season 10 finale, is it seen that Adam is shot by a child, Callum from a troubling foster situation. Find his info Here.
Season 11[]
During Unpacking, he has survived his injuries and is training to rejoin the CPD.
Notes and Trivia[]
- Ruzek is left-handed, a trait shared with his actor, Patrick John Flueger.
- In Season 1, Ruzek was seen using a Beretta 92G Elite, although this was for only one episode. His duty-issue sidearm up until Payback then became a Glock 17. Since then, he has switched to a SIG-Sauer 1911 Max, only temporarily switching back to the former during the OID investigation. In Season 7 post-reinstatement, he uses a Springfield XDM 9mm.
- Uniquely, he holds his gun using the Center Axis Relock stance.
- His knowledge of button-operated locks comes from his aunt, who is a realtor.
- He has used numerous unmarked standard-issue police cars, including a dark blue Chevrolet Impala 9C1, a Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor, and a Ford Police Interceptor Utility. For the rest of Season 5 since Payback, he used a Pontiac G8, but has switched this out in Season 6 for another Impala 9C1. In Season 7, Ruzek temporarily uses Olinsky's Dodge Magnum in a sting operation. Since the Season 8 episode Tender Care, he starts using a 2018 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon.
- Ruzek's badge number is 59054.
- Ruzek has used multiple radio codes during his time in Intelligence:
- 5021 David (used by Kevin Atwater)
- 5021 Charlie (used by Alvin Olinsky)
- 5021 Ida (since season 5)
- He has been engaged three times: his school sweetheart Nicole, Wendy, and Kim Burgess.
- He is called Ruz by Jay Halstead, Antonio Dawson, Kevin Atwater, Hailey Upton and Hank Voight.
- Ruzek's Class A uniform displays the Unit Meritorious Performance Award, Joint Operations Award, and Special Service Award.
- Adam was first in line to become a detective. However due to him talking to Denny Woods to get dirty on Hank Voight. Voight tells him that Kevin is next in line. It is unsure who is next in line, as Kim was talking about taking courses to become a detective. Since Kevin hasn’t talked about it often.
- Adam has the least amount of time being a patrol officer. He was pulled directly from the police Academy and put right into intelligence.
Gallery[]
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.jpg "Adam Ruzek Season 3 (Original).jpg (74 KB)")
Appearances[]
| Season 11 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unpacking | Retread | Safe Harbor | Escape | Split Second |
| Survival | The Living and The Dead | Proof | Somos Uno | Buried Pieces |
Chicago Fire[]
Season 3[]
- The Nuclear Option (3x05)
- I Am the Apocalypse (3x19)
Season 4[]
- Short and Fat (4x09)
- The Beating Heart (4x10)
- All Hard Parts (4x14)
Season 6[]
- Hiding Not Seeking (6x13)
Season 7[]
- Until the Weather Breaks (7x19)
Season 8[]
- Infection, Part I (8x04)
- What Went Wrong (8x06)
- Off the Grid (8x15)
- I'll Cover You (8x18)
Season 9[]
- A Couple Hundred Degrees (9x11)
Chicago Med[]
Season 4[]
- Tell Me the Truth (4x18)
Season 5[]
- Infection, Part II (5x04)