Connellsville Police receive K-9 grant through Ben Roethlisberger Foundation
A plan for Connellsville Police to add a K-9 unit to its force took a major step forward when the department received a $10,000 grant from the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation.
“Thanks to this grant, the Connellsville Police Department will be able to develop its first K-9 unit in approximately 40 years,” said Connellsville Patrolman J. Tyler Garlick, who will be the K-9 handler. “Our K-9 will be available to the City of Connellsville and surrounding jurisdictions, working alongside other agencies in Fayette County, Pennsylvania to increase officer safety, combat the drug epidemic, and help forge relationships between police and the communities we serve.”
The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation at the Giving Back Fund announced its eight grant recipients for K-9 programs in Pittsburgh and surrounding areas Tuesday, totaling $70,000 in donations.
Garlick headed up the project to secure funds for Connellsville’s K-9 unit, soliciting community donations and writing grants, under the direction of Chief Bill Hammerle.
“I’m absolutely behind him 100 percent on this,” he said. “We’ve needed a K-9 here for quite some time. It’s going to be very beneficial to our community and our department.”
The dog will be trained as “dual purpose” in patrol and narcotics detection, Garlick said.
“First and foremost, having a dog bridges the gap between police and the community,” he said.
He plans to select a dog with a sociable temperament for school and community demonstrations, he said.
The dog will enable officers to be more efficient in search and rescue and drug detection, he said. The dog will also serve as a deterrent and promote officer safety, he said. He plans to assist area departments as needed.
The K-9 program has also received community donations. He is in the process of securing funds for a K-9 vehicle. Garlick said he is confident the program will be up and running by the end of the summer.
“We are very grateful to the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation and all of our donors,” he said.
Securing the funding is a fulfillment of a personal career goal for Garlick, he said. His father is a state trooper, which motivated him to work in law enforcement. As a young teenager, he served as an apprentice and learned how to professionally train dogs and later opened his own dog training business.
“I’ve wanted to be a K-9 handler since I was a kid,” he said.
The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation has distributed more than $1.7 million to benefit K-9 programs since 2004., according to a press release from the foundation.
“We’re very fortunate to be in the position that we are able to help these K-9 units. The work that is performed by the dogs and their handlers as well as the bond that is formed is incredible. We’re just thrilled to do our small part,” Roethlisberger was quoted as saying in the release.
To make donations to Connellsville’s K-9 program, contact Garlick at the Connellsville Police Department at 724-628-2501.