Usually when you see the SWAT team rolling through neighborhoods, it's not a good situation -- but that was not the case Wednesday.
At first glance, it may have looked like police were on a scene with their hands full. Part of that was true. Officers with the Nashua Police Department, loaded down with gifts and groceries, were showing the community what Christmas is all about.
"Our guys took up a collection," said the Nashua Police Department's Philip Belmont. "[It's] really an opportunity for some families to have a good Christmas."
Dressed in their traditional uniforms and others of the season, SWAT officers shopped for five families. With the help of Whole Foods Market, they provided them with gifts and Christmas dinner.
"We identified some families in need, some families that have been working hard in the community and this is our way of thanking families for being positive members of a tough community," said Shaun Nelson, of the Police Athletic League.
The police department then made it known, packing up all the food and gifts and hitting the streets of Nashua with their SWAT vehicle to deliver everything to the families.
The Police Athletic League raised the money for the event, which is in its second year. Through it all, police said it's a chance for the community to see that officers have a mission that goes well beyond just keeping the streets of Nashua safe.
"At the end of the day, it allows us to give back to the community, to be vested in that community," Belmont said. "That's the important thing. It's good for people to see that -- a Christmas that these families likely won't ever forget."
