The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation has given $52,400 in grants to nine local police and fire departments, meant to bolster K-9 units across the region.
The local departments will buy police dogs, the dogs' training, and their protective vests with the funding from Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
Stephanie Sandler is Vice President of the Giving Back Fund, which administers Roethlisberger's foundation. She says the two-time Super Bowl winner wants to focus on funding for police dogs.
"Most police and fire departments don't receive funding from the department for their K-9 units," said Sandler. "They depend a lot on public gifts."
Sandler said the $52,400 announced this week brings Roethlisberger's total K-9 contribution up to nearly $850,000. The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation urged others to make gifts to local K-9 units as well.
The nine Roethlisberger grant-winners were chosen from a pool of 25 applicants by Roethlisberger, his father, and the Giving Back Fund.
They are: the Borough of Aspinwall PD, the Butler County Sheriff's Office, the City of Aliquippa PD, the Eureka Hose Company, the Greensburg Volunteer Fire Department, the Johnstown PD, the Masontown PD, the Penn Hills PD, and the Westmoreland County Park Police.