Journalism & Mass Communication

This award is given in recognition of the "bulldog" spirit of Al Nakkula, who covered cops and crooks for 46 years at the Rocky Mountain News.

The 2013 Nakkula police reporting contest drew 25 entries from news outlets around the country, including the New York Times and USA Today, and nonprofit online news outlets including The Center for Public Integrity and California Watch. Judges are now reviewing entries for the $2,000 prize and the second-place certificate for work published in 2012.
The award is sponsored by CU Journalism & Mass Communication and the Denver Press Club.

Past Winners

2012 Gina Barton of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
2011: Cris Barrish
The News Journal

2010: Mark Puente
The Plain Dealer

2009: Karyn Spencer
Omaha World-Herald

2008: Jonathan Schuppe
The Newark Star-Ledger

2007: Robert Rogers
The Sun
San Bernadino, Calif.

2006: John Diedrich
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Related Stories

2005: Amber Hunt Martin
Detroit Free Press

2004: Del Quentin Wilber
Baltimore Sun

2003: Stacy Finz
San Francisco Chronicle

2002: Stephanie Warsmith
Akron Beacon Journal

2001: Brigid O’Malley
Naples Daily News
Second Place
Vanessa Ho
Seattle Post-Intelligencer

2000: Tom Searls
Charleston Gazette
Second Place
Dawn Hobbs
Santa Barbara News-Press

1999: Sean Gardiner
The Florida Times-Union.

1998: Mark Truby
The Huntington Herald-Dispatch

1997: Andy Furillo
The Sacramento Bee

1996: Pamela Hill
Northwest Arkansas Times

1995: Melvin Claxton
Virgin Islands Daily News

1994: William Hermann
The Arizona Republic

1993: J.D. Mullane
Bucks County Courier Times

1992: Scott Bowles
The Detroit News

1991: Diana K. Sugg
The Sacramento Bee