The award, sponsored by the Journalism department at the College of Media, Communication and Information and the Denver Press Club, honors the late Al Nakkula, a 46-year veteran of the Rocky Mountain News whose tenacity made him a legendary police reporter.听Nakkula passed away in 1990.
The award is for work produced by a reporter or reporting team in print and/or online platforms in the United States in 2023. Entries听should take the form of a story or series about one topic and/or event.听Sorry, this award is not for broadcast work.听
The first-place prize is $2,000. The winner will also be invited to speak to classes at the University of Colorado Boulder's College of Media, Communication and Information.
Learn more about the 2024听winner:听鈥楢 really gutsy piece of journalism鈥� on police response to the death of a woman in BDSM
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| Year |
Name(s) |
Story |
News Organization |
| 2023 |
Brett Murphy |
|
ProPublica |
| 2022 |
Meribah Knight (Nashville Public Radio) and Ken Armstrong (ProPublica) |
|
ProPublica (in partnership with Nashville Public Radio) |
| 2021 |
Eric Umansky with Adriana Gallardo, Lena Groeger, Joshua Kaplan, Topher Sanders, Joaquin Sapien, Mollie Simon, Moiz Syed, Lucas Waldron and Derek Willis |
|
ProPublica (with contributing reporting from The City) |
| 2020 |
Kyle Hopkins |
|
Anchorage Daily News |
| 2019 |
Gary Harki |
|
The Virginian-Pilot |
| 2018 |
Topher Sanders and Ben Conarck |
|
ProPublica, Florida Times Union |
| 2017 |
Jennifer Bjorhus and Kelly Smith and the investigative team |
|
Minneapolis Star Tribune |
| 2016 |
Ken Armstrong, T. Christian Miller |
|
The Marshall Project, ProPublica |
| 2015 |
Brad Heath |
|
USA TODAY |
| 2014 |
Reporter Megan O鈥橫atz and Database Editor John Maines |
|
South Florida Sun Sentinel |
| 2013 |
Ryan Gabrielson |
|
Center for Investigative Reporting鈥檚 California Watch |
| 2012 |
Gina Barton |
|
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel |
| 2011 |
Cris Barrish |
听 |
The News Journal |
| 2010 |
Mark Puente |
听 |
The Plain Dealer |
| 2009 |
Karyn Spencer |
听 |
Omaha World-Herald |
| 2008 |
Jonathan Schuppe |
听 |
The Newark Star-Ledger |
| 2007 |
Robert Rogers |
听 |
The Sun |
| 2006 |
John Diedrich |
听 |
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | Related Stories |
| 2005 |
Amber Hunt Martin |
听 |
Detroit Free Press |
| 2004 |
Del Quentin Wilber |
听 |
Baltimore Sun |
| 2003 |
Stacy Finz |
听 |
San Francisco Chronicle |
| 2002 |
Stephanie Warsmith |
听 |
Akron Beacon Journal |
| 2001 |
Brigid O鈥橫alley |
听 |
Naples Daily News |
| 2000 |
Tom Searls |
听 |
Charleston Gazette |
| 1999 |
Sean Gardiner |
听 |
The Florida Times-Union. |
| 1998 |
Mark Truby |
听 |
The Huntington Herald-Dispatch |
| 1997 |
Andy Furillo |
听 |
The Sacramento Bee |
| 1996 |
Pamela Hill |
听 |
Northwest Arkansas Times |
| 1995 |
Melvin Claxton |
听 |
Virgin Islands Daily News |
| 1994 |
William Hermann |
听 |
The Arizona Republic |
| 1993 |
J.D. Mullane |
听 |
Bucks County Courier Times |
| 1992 |
Scott Bowles |
听 |
The Detroit News |
| 1991 |
Diana K. Sugg |
听 |
The Sacramento Bee |
