As a justice reporter for the Edmonton Journal, Wakefield’s work sits at the intersection of public safety, health policy, and institutional accountability. His recent investigations demonstrate three core pillars:
Wakefield’s career reflects a deliberate focus on intersecting systems of power:
Wakefield’s April 2025 investigation into Darrell Demchuk’s homicide exemplifies his approach to crime reporting. The piece meticulously reconstructs the timeline of the April 6 shooting near 66 Street and 38 Avenue while contextualizing Edmonton’s evolving gang violence patterns. Through interviews with community leaders and analysis of EPS crime statistics, Wakefield highlights the human impact of drug trafficking networks while maintaining rigorous adherence to sub judice principles during ongoing legal proceedings.
This April 2025 health policy analysis demonstrates Wakefield’s ability to translate complex public health data into actionable journalism. The article traces connections between airport exposure risks and provincial vaccination rates, incorporating interviews with epidemiologists and Freedom of Information requests about healthcare funding allocations. Wakefield’s reporting prompted renewed debate about Alberta’s public health communication strategies.
Wakefield’s March 2025 exposé on the Athana Mentzelopoulos litigation reveals his political investigative skills. Through court document analysis and anonymous source interviews, the piece unravels tensions between provincial health administrators and political appointees. The reporting notably influenced subsequent debates about healthcare governance during Question Period in the Alberta Legislature.
Wakefield consistently elevates crime stories that reveal broader institutional patterns. A successful pitch might connect a specific incident to larger trends in police response times or court backlog statistics. For example, his 2025 murder charge coverage incorporated EPS clearance rate data from the previous decade.
When discussing public health matters, emphasize concrete Albertan outcomes. Wakefield’s measles reporting linked provincial vaccination rates to specific school district policies rather than national trends.
Investigations anchored in court filings, municipal budgets, or health authority reports receive particular attention. The AHS CEO story relied heavily on exhibited emails from Court of King’s Bench documents.
Stories incorporating voices from Edmonton’s Indigenous communities or immigrant populations align with Wakefield’s commitment to representing marginalized groups in institutional coverage.
Wakefield’s work prioritizes documented facts over commentary. Pitches should emphasize verifiable data rather than ideological positions, even when covering politically charged topics like healthcare funding.
While specific accolades aren’t documented in available sources, Wakefield’s work regularly shapes provincial policy debates and has been cited in Alberta Legislative Assembly proceedings. His sustained coverage of healthcare governance challenges demonstrates the impact of his accountability journalism.
At PressContact, we aim to help you discover the most relevant journalists for your PR efforts. If you're looking to pitch to more journalists who write on Crime, here are some other real estate journalist profiles you may find relevant:
