ODRC Awards Annual Top Parole Officer and Employee Honors

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMedia inquiries contact: JoEllen Smith, [email protected]

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC) proudly announces the recipients of the Division of Parole and Community Services' (DPCS) Robert White Memorial Parole Officer of the Year Award and the division's Employee of the Year Award.

"I am so proud of the work that is done by the employees within DPCS," said ODRC Interim Director Ed Banks. "Rehabilitation continues when someone leaves prison, and the folks at DPCS are the ones making sure that the mission continues following incarceration. They are serving, and often living, in these communities alongside those they supervise and keeping them safe."

Michael Bender, a parole officer in the Akron Region of the Adult Parole Authority (APA), has been named the Robert White Memorial Parole Officer of the Year. Bender joined ODRC in 2011 as a correction officer and transitioned to a parole officer in 2014.

Bender played a pivotal role in coordinating the successful efforts to locate a supervisee wanted in connection with a series of crimes in November 2025. Through his collaboration with local and federal agencies, the individual was apprehended and charged with 14 counts of aggravated arson.

In addition to his work with the APA, Bender serves as a task force officer with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). He was recently honored by the U.S. Department of Justice as the Task Force Officer of the Year.

Michael Bender

Collin Buettner, parole services supervisor in the APA's Dayton Region, has been named the DPCS Employee of the Year. Buettner began his career as a parole officer in 2017, was promoted to senior parole officer in 2022, and assumed his current supervisory role in 2024.

Buettner serves as an instructor across various training disciplines, helping officers develop the skills needed to serve their communities effectively. He also collaborates closely with local support agencies on operational initiatives, including after-hours efforts to locate supervisees with active warrants who have failed to report.

Collin Buettner

"I'm filled with pride knowing how the staff within the Division of Parole and Community Services work together to help people build a better future and keep our communities safe," said Deputy Director of DPCS Jessica Dennis. "I'm honored today to congratulate both Collin and Michael, who represent the exemplary staff we have amongst our ranks."

The Robert White Memorial Award was established in honor of Robert White, who served as a parole officer in Cleveland following a 25-year career with the Cleveland Police Department. White was fatally shot in the line of duty in 1979. The award recognizes his unwavering dedication to the APA and his commitment to protecting Ohio's communities.

DPCS serves as the community corrections division of ODRC and includes the Bureau of Adult Detention, the Bureau of Community Sanctions, the Office of Victim Services, the Ohio Parole Board, and the Adult Parole Authority.