SALEM, Va. – A well-known community crime prevention group got a new tool Thursday.
The Peacemakers, a group that patrols areas of Roanoke, unveiled a new van in Salem, which they received at no cost. They say it will help give them visibility and keep them safe when they're traveling.
The van and the renovations came purely from donations, like those from Cuz’s Autobody Repair in Salem. The owner, William Wooding, was the victim of a home invasion and says that motivated him to help.
"This is all about the community," the leader of the Peacemakers, Shawn Hunter, said. "The only way this came about is because the community came together. It shows the unity, and everybody is on the same page."
Police and elected officials were in Salem for the ceremony today.
"People feel that this gives them hope," Roanoke Mayor Sherman Lea said. "I think they're going to get a lot of community support. They've gotten a lot of community support."
The Peacemakers’ goal is to prevent violence by patrolling communities and resolving disputes in Roanoke.