Kevin Arkadie, Co-Creator of ‘New York Undercover,’ Dies at 68

Kevin Arkadie, the American television producer who created the police drama “New York Undercover” with Dick Wolf, has died. He was 68.

via: People

The TV writer and producer, who also worked on other police and crime dramas, such as NYPD Blue and The Shield, died on Wednesday, Dec. 17, Deadline first reported. Arkadie previously said in July, via Instagram, that he was dealing with kidney failure. However, his manner of death has not been shared.

Dick Wolf — who created New York Undercover alongside Arkadie — paid tribute to the late producer in a statement shared with Deadline. “Kevin brought the voice of the next generation to cop shows and was instrumental in bringing diversity to the forefront of network television," Wolf, 79, said. "We will all miss him."

New York Undercover debuted on Fox in 1994 and ran for four seasons until 1999, marking the first U.S. cop drama to feature two people of color as series leads. It followed undercover detectives Detective J.C. Williams (Malik Yoba) and Detective Eddie Torres (Michael DeLorenzo) as they investigated crimes in the city.

Wolf Entertainment shared a statement after Arkadie's death, calling Undercover "one of the most groundbreaking series in television history."

"Beyond his creative achievements, Kevin was a trusted collaborator and a generous presence," the production company continued. "His legacy lives on in the meaningful and memorable stories he helped tell. We remain grateful for his contributions, and he will be deeply missed and always remembered."

Arkadie, who was born in Washington, eventually relocated to Los Angeles and wrote for several shows in the late '80s and early '90s. His earlier writing work included the ABC drama Knightwatch and NBC's I'll Fly Away. He also producer on CBS’ Chicago Hope, ABC’s NYPD Blue, FX’s The Shield and more.

He also wrote on the NBC miniseries The Temptations and served as showrunner of BET’s Sacrifice for two seasons. Arkadie was a two-time Emmy nominee in 1996 and 1998 in the Outstanding Drama Series category for both Chicago Hope and NYPD Blue.

More recently, Arkadie was working alongside Tony winner Lamar Richardson and Zaire Julion-Richardson's Ivy Lion Productions on the TV project Freeman Ranch.

In a statement shared with PEOPLE, Lamar called Arkadie a "true team player who was never afraid to have tough conversations, and we’ll remember that he always led with respect and deference." He added, "We’ll cherish the time we spent with him and will forever say his name. May flights of angels sing him to sweet rest, and may his soul rest in peace. His mark on his industry will truly never be forgotten."

Arkadie is survived by his wife and family, with a celebration of life planned for next year, per Deadline.