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The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation at The Giving Back Fund announced its 12th and 13th grants of the 2016 season — to go to the Erlanger Police Department and to Northern Kentucky University, both related to their K-9 units.

The Foundation supports police and fire departments throughout the U.S. with a particular emphasis on support for K-9 units and service dogs. It has been distributing grants in the cities and surrounding communities of each regular season away game for the Steelers during the 2016 NFL season.

A $10,000 grant to the Erlanger Police Department will go to purchase a new K-9 officer to assist with protecting and serving the Kenton County community.

“The Erlanger Kentucky Police Department is fortunate to be receiving a $10,000 check from the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation,” said Office Edward Bailey of the Erlanger Police Department. “Our mission is to help and assist any agency at any time upon any requests. The funds will go towards the purchase of a brand new K-9 unit which includes the dog and training for a handler.”

The Police Department partnered with the Erlanger Lions Charities on the grant.

The Northern Kentucky University Police will use its grant to purchase and install a temperature monitor in the designated K-9 police cruiser.

NKU’s K-9 Officer Arritt is an explosives detection canine provided to the university in 2012 via a grant from the Department of Homeland Security.

“Arritt and Officer Murray provide immediate and specialized response to bomb threats and unattended packages,” said Lieutenant John Gaffin, Interim Chief of Police, Northern Kentucky University Police. “This team conducts searches for a variety of explosive materials near building exteriors, parking lots, office areas, vehicles, packages, people in and around the campus, and assists other agencies in the region.

“The Northern Kentucky University Police Department is honored to receive this grant from the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation. The funding will allow us to ensure the safety of our K-9 officer, Arritt, who works to keep our campus and region safe.”

Roethlisberger’s foundation distributed more than $170,000 in grants to K-9 units around the country during the 2015 NFL season and has distributed in excess of $1.5 million since 2007.

For more information, go to The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation website .

During the 2016 NFL season, is foundation is distributing grants to K-9 units of police and fire departments in the cities and surrounding communities of each regular season away game for the Steelers. The Foundation will also distribute several grants to the Pittsburgh area. The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation invited police and fire departments across the country to submit proposals detailing their needs.

This marks the 10th season that the foundation has distributed grants to K-9 units.The foundation supports Make-A-Wish.

From the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation