FINDLAY, Ohio, Dec. 2 (UPI) -- Tears turned into cheers as an Ohio town saying good-bye to a fallen police dog, learned native son Ben Roethlisberger is buying a replacement.
After Flip was given a last roll call over the police radio, Findlay, Ohio, Police Chief Bill Spraw announced the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback is donating money to purchase a new police dog, the Findlay (Ohio) Courier said.
The grant from the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation at The Giving Back Fund also will cover a ballistic vest for the new four-legged officer.
Flip, a 6-year-old Belgian Malinois, was shot Nov. 18 by a neighbor after wandering away from his handler's home.
"Flip was an officer. He was our friend," Spraw said. "Our department suffered a great loss."
Roethlisberger, a dog owner, wants to help communities acquire police dogs, which often must be purchased through donations because of budget constraints.
