Law & Order: SVU introduces Kate Silva, its newest detective, in the season 26 season premiere. For the past several seasons, Benson collaborated with detectives who were temporarily assigned to her squad room because she was short-staffed. However, Law & Order: SVU season 26 gives Benson a full team to work with. Silva is the only member of the team who is completely new to the series, as the other new team members appeared on a recurring basis throughout season 25.
