Managing editor Peter Cameron has won first prize for an investigative story on law enforcement for the second year in a row.

By Christina Lieffring, THE BADGER PROJECT

The Badger Project tied for gold at the Milwaukee Press Club 2022 Excellence in Journalism awards for its story on the record low number law enforcement officers in Wisconsin. The finalists were announced in March and final prizes awarded May 12 during a ceremony at The Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee.

The award in Online News portion in the category of Best Investigative Story or Series was for an August, 2022 investigation on how the total number of police in the state has fallen to an all-time low and how departments are employing civilians to take some of the burden off law enforcement. The Badger Project shared the gold with a Wisconsin Right Now investigation on former gubernatorial candidate Tim Michels’ residence on the East Coast.

The Badger Project is a nonpartisan journalism nonprofit that covers the powerful in Wisconsin, including politics, wealthy donors and law enforcement. Its stories run in newspapers and news organizations across the state.

This is The Badger Project’s second gold award from the Milwaukee Press Club. Last year, Cameron received gold in the category of best public service story or series for a collaboration between The Badger Project and Wisconsin Watch. The first-prize story found that nearly 200 officers who had been fired or forced out from previous law enforcement jobs had been rehired in law enforcement jobs in Wisconsin.

Founded in 1885, the Milwaukee Press Club is the oldest continuously operating press club in North America.
A list of all the awardees can be found here.

The Badger Project is a nonpartisan, citizen-supported journalism nonprofit in Wisconsin.