Olmstead graduated from California State University, Chico in 1988. He is an alumnus of the College of Humanities and Fine Arts. He went to Hollywood in hopes of being a script writer. Olmstead eventually worked with an agent, who set him up with Steven Bochco. After 10 minutes of talking, Bochco offered him the opportunity to write an episode for the show NYPD Blue.
In 1993, Olmstead wrote for the television series NYPD Blue. The series was created by Steven Bochco and David Milch. It focused on a single homicide unit in New York City. Olmstead eventually became an Executive Producer of NYPD Blue, and became a Producer in 2002.
Olmstead worked as a writer on the series Brooklyn South in 1997. The series was created by Milch and Bochco along with William M. Finkelstein and ex-police officer Bill Clark. The show detailed the lives of a single precinct of police patrol officers. Olmstead wrote four episodes for the series first season. The series was canceled after completing its first season.
He also worked as a writer and producer for NYPD 2069 in 2004. In 2005, he was one of the creators of the show Blind Justice. He wrote the Pilot and Episode 3. The show was canceled in June 2005 after just 13 episodes.
In 2012, Olmstead joined Chicago Fire as an executive producer. In 2014, he co-created the spin-off Chicago P.D..
Olmstead is the co-creator of Chicago P.D. alongside Dick Wolf, and acts as the show's showrunner. He has written a number of episodes and is an executive producer on every episode.
1.01 – "Stepping Stone" (January 8, 2014)
1.12 – "8:30 pm" (April 30, 2014) (story co-written with Dick Wolf, teleplay by Michael Brandt & Derek Haas)
2.01 – "Call It Macaroni" (September 24, 2014)
2.07 – "They'll Have to Go Through Me" (November 11, 2014) (story co-written with Dick Wolf, teleplay by Maisha Closson)
2.17 – "Say Her Real Name" (March 25, 2015) (story co-written with Dick Wolf, teleplay by Craig Gore & Tim Walsh)
2.20 – "The Number of Rats" (April 29, 2015) (story co-written with Warren Leight, teleplay co-written with Cole Maliska)
Chicago Fire (2012–present)
Olmstead is the showrunner of Chicago Fire, joining the show as an executive producer after the show's pilot.[2] Olmstead has written a number of episodes and is an executive producer from episode 2 onwards.
1.03 – "Professional Courtesy" (October 24, 2012)
1.12 – "Under the Knife" (January 9, 2013) (co-written with Ryan Rege Harris)
1.14 – "A Little Taste" (February 6, 2013) (co-written with Hilly Hicks, Jr.)
1.17 – "Better to Lie" (February 27, 2013) (co-written with Ryan Rege Harris)
1.23 – "Let Her Go" (May 15, 2013) (story co-written with Dick Wolf, teleplay by Michael Brandt & Derek Haas)
2.04 – "A Nuisance Call" (October 15, 2013) (co-written with Hilly Hicks, Jr.)
2.16 – "A Rocket Blasting Off" (March 11, 2014) (co-written with Hilly Hicks, Jr.)
2.18 – "Until Your Feet Leave the Ground" (April 8, 2014) (co-written with Mick Betancourt)
2.20 – "A Dark Day" (April 29, 2014) (story co-written with Dick Wolf, teleplay by Michael Brandt & Derek Haas)
2.22 – "Real Never Waits" (May 13, 2014) (co-written with Derek Haas)
3.07 – "Nobody Touches Anything" (November 11, 2014) (teleplay co-written with Jill Weinberger, story by Dick Wolf and Jill Weinberger)
3.14 – "Call It Paradise" (February 10, 2015) (co-written with Michael A. O'Shea)
3.17 – "Forgive You Anything" (March 10, 2015) (story co-written with Dick Wolf, teleplay by Andrea Newman)
3.19 – "I Am the Apocalypse" (April 7, 2015) (story co-written with Dick Wolf, teleplay by Michael Brandt & Derek Haas)
3.21 – "We Called Her Jellybean" (April 28, 2015) (story co-written with Tiller Russell, teleplay by Tiller Russell)
Prison Break (13 episodes)
Olmstead is credited for being a writer and an executive producer for the successful Fox network's television series, Prison Break.
