CINCINNATI -- Talk about mixed emotions.
While much of Cincinnati hopes Big Ben chokes during Monday night's game at Paul Brown Stadium, he did donate funds to our local police departments' K9 units.
Fort Mitchell Police Department and West Chester Police Department were both awarded grants from the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation. Fort Mitchell will use the funds to maintain its K-9 unit and West Chester plans to use the funds to replace recently retired K-9 Rex, according to a news release from the foundation.
This is the quarterback's eleventh season donating to police K-9 units across the country. Roethlisberger's Foundation distributed more than $150,000 in grants to K-9 units around the country in 2016, according to the news release.
Roethlisberger donates to cities and surrounding communities where the Steelers play away games, the news release said.
“The grant affords the West Chester Police Department the opportunity to build upon its critically important canine unit, taking a step closer to the 3-member full complement of our unit," Chief Joel Herzog said. "The community is grateful for the grant and will gladly welcome a new canine to the West Chester Police Department.”
Fort Mitchell police only have one police dog. He's been with the force for almost one year.
"We are very excited that the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation has selected our agency as a recipient of a grant to further assist our program so that K-9 Tony and Specialist Best can continue their great work," Chief Andrew Shierberg said. "As a smaller agency, it can sometimes be difficult to support a K-9 unit. This grant will provide significant help to us to keep our program running strong.”
