Sheriff's Office Gets Grant from Steelers QB's Charity

Rockville might be a Redskins or Ravens town, but the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office no doubt has a new appreciation for the black and gold of the Pittsburgh Steelers after the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation on Thursday announced a grant that will go to support the office's K-9 teams.

The grant will go toward the purchase of explosive detection training supplies and equipment to continue to train and maintain explosive detection K-9 teams in the county sheriff's office.

"The grant will allow the sheriff's office to expand our explosive detection training for the sheriff's office and other affiliated law enforcement agencies in our region," Sheriff-elect Darren M. Popkin said in a news release announcing the grant. "Attempted detection of concealed explosives is an extremely sensitive and hazardous undertaking. Ben Roethlisberger Foundation's grant will improve our K-9 expertise and provide years of enhanced explosive detection training."

Roethlisberger, in his seventh season as the Steelers' quarterback, sat out the first four games of this NFL season after being suspended for his off-field conduct. His foundation is distributing grants to police and fire departments in Pittsburgh and to communities in or near each city the Steelers visit during the 2010 regular season.

Public safety agencies in the nine cities were invited to submit proposals detailing their needs.

The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation is affiliated with The Giving Back Fund, a national public charity that creates and manages charitable endeavors for athletes, entertainers, business entrepreneurs and corporations.

On Friday, Roethlisberger was reportedly suffering from a broken bone in his right foot and was  listed as "questionable" for Sunday's game against the Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.