STRYKER – Employees at the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio have named Brandon Rhodes, of Defiance County, the Employee of the Year for 2021.
Fellow workers at CCNO chose Rhodes for the honor after taking on the challenge of overseeing the video arraignment department at the jail.
The COVID pandemic required the jail to significantly increase the volume of video arraignments and virtual inmate conferences.
The facility renovated the existing visitation area to meet the higher demands. CCNO works with dozens of courts, attorneys, and other agencies every day and the coordination of so many different organizations is challenging.
Rhodes took on the responsibility of managing the new department, overseeing up to 60 video appearances in an eight-hour period, and working out the technical difficulties that were faced.
With nearly 8,400 video sessions throughout 2021, nearly double the amount prior to the pandemic, Rhodes’ role was essential to smooth operations.
Having started at CCNO in 2011, Brandon had many years of experience as an officer working in the Intake department which gave him valuable insight to court processes and video arraignment needs.
“Video arraignment is a large part of how our local criminal justice systems work since the pandemic began,” commented CCNO Executive Director Dennis Sullivan.
“It’s not just CCNO that depends on Brandon, but all of our courts, attorneys, and even other agencies. It is a huge responsibility and he’s handled it very professionally. Brandon has always been a team player, and it really shows with his current role.”
“Brandon works hard and has a great attitude, and I think I can speak for all of the employees when I say that he is appreciated,” added Director of Operations Toby Bostater