IRE members take home first and second prize of the Nakkula Award

IRE would like to congratulate IRE member Ryan Gabrielson of California Watch for winning the first place prize of the Al Nakkula Award for Police Reporting

From the press release: "Gabrielson won for “Broken Shield,” an investigative series that exposed shoddy police work at California institutions for the disabled. His stories chronicle the activities of a special police force that patrols California’s five state developmental centers – taxpayer-funded institutions for patients with severe autism and cerebral palsy."

Second place also went to an IRE member. From the release: "Second place in the contest went to Peter Dujardin, a reporter at the Newport News (Va.) Daily Press, for his series “Selling Smoke” about a 19-month, $4 million police sting that failed to generate a single arrest."

"The 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."

For the full press release, click here.