Submitted Photo Rhonda Dockter and Scott Hodenfield with AgCountry present a symbolic $10,000 check to K-9 handler Deputy Ryan Ostrum, Chief Deputy Larry Hubbard and Sheriff Robert Roed with the Ward County Sheriff’s Department.

AgCountry Farm Credit Services has announced the award of $10,000 to the Ward County Sheriff’s Department from the Rural Community Grant Fund.

Ward County Sheriff Robert Roed recently accepted a check from Scott Hodenfield, financial officer with AgCountry Farm Credit Services for the grant funds, which will be used to acquire another K-9, according to a news release.

The additional K-9 will provide the sheriff’s department with resources to respond to threats such as narcotics and weapons detection as well as resources to aid human tracking, including criminals, lost children or elderly people with medical issues.

“We are excited to award funds for a second K-9 to secure their K-9 program and increase public safety,” Hodenfield said in the release. “AgCountry is proud to help them acquire additional resources to help then get illegal narcotics off the street.”

AgCountry Farm Credit Services, Farm Credit Services of Mandan and AgriBank, established the Rural Community Grant Fund to assist in the implementation and development of projects and programs in communities and rural areas in western North Dakota that have been impacted by mineral exploration.

The Rural Community Grant Fund is currently accepting applications for future funding requests.