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. 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 2018. Entries are due by Jan. 18, 2019 and should take the form of a story or series about one topic and/or event. Sorry, this award is not for broadcast work. 

The first-place prize is $2,000. The winner will be invited to speak to classes and to accept the award at the  on March 1, 2019. The second-place finisher will receive a certificate of merit.

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