XENIA — Xenia’s oldest neighborhood watch group is helping to keep local SWAT members dry.
The Tomahawk Trail Neighborhood Watch Group, formed 28 years ago, gave the Xenia Police Division nearly $4,500 to cover rain gear for XPD offers who are members of the Greene County Regional SWAT Team.
Group captains Arthur and Joy Martinelli recently approached Officer Harold Matheson — who was assigned to the group in 1999 — telling him the group wanted to do something to give back.
Matheson, a member of the SWAT team, said Xenia SWAT members were in need of new rain gear.
“We train when it’s raining,” Matheson said. “We’ve never really had good quality rain gear.”
The Martinellis and the watch group went to work, collecting donations from local businesses and organizations and made the presentation Oct. 15. The $4,460 allows the members to purchase “the highest quality rain gear,” Matheson said.
Matheson said that type of generosity is not a new thing. The group’s members are always doing what they can to help XPD, “they bring in food, and they’re constantly asking us, ‘what do you need?’ ” said.
Xenia Police Captain Chris Stutes said that donation is one example of the support XPD receives from the Xenia area.
“Our community has really wrapped its arms around us,” Stutes said.
