EXCLUSIVE: NBC‘s Chicago Fire has been on a roll, steadily building from a slow start to hit several series highs in midseason, get its freshman order upped from 22 to 24 episodes and cement a second–season renewal. Now I hear the Dick Wolf-produced firefighter drama may also get a spinoff series. Details are sketchy, but I hear the proposed spinoff is also a Chicago-set procedural about another Public Safety division, the police. I hear the cop drama about the Chicago Police Department is being developed by Chicago Fire creators/executive producers Derek Haas and Michael Brandt, executive producer Matt Olmstead and executive producer Wolf, whose company Wolf Films produces Chicago Fire with Universal TV. Word is that the new show would start off as a planted spinoff with Chicago Fire‘s first season finale directed by Joe Chappelle. It is still being sorted out which Chicago Fire actors may transfer to the spinoff series. Chicago Fire‘s recurring cast includes Chicago PD Detective Antonio Dawson, played by Jon Seda.

While networks usually wait at least two seasons until they use a successful series to launch a spinoff, given the state of NBC, where Chicago Fire is one of few bright spots, the urgency is understandable. Especially when someone of Wolf’s experience spinning off procedural dramas is involved. Wolf is the creator of Law & Order, which successfully spawned two series — Law & Order: SVU and Law & Order: CI. Chicago Fire is also executive produced by Wolf Films’ Peter Jankowski and Danielle Gelber.