Xe Services, the private security firm formerly known as Blackwater, is relocating its corporate headquarters to Arlington and local officials say they will welcome the business.

"I may have personal issues with some of their decisions, but Arlington is a diverse community," said Jay Fisette, one of five county board members. "We pride ourselves on civilty and tolerance. That doesn't mean we agree on everything. This shows that (Xe Services) is capable of making good decisions by moving to Arlington."

Xe Services opened its office on 19th and Kent streets in Rosslyn on Monday. It houses about 20 employees, including the company's chief executive officer and heads of business development and compliance. Executives also are expected to continue spending time at the company's 7,000-acre training facility in Moyock, N.C.

"Arlington made sense. It's close to many of our clients, like the State Department and the Pentagon," Xe spokesman John Proctor said. "We want to enhance those relationships and make them even stronger. We'd like to have a permanent footprint in the D.C. area."

Xe looks to gain new clients in the area in addition to strengthening ties to present clients.

"From an economic point of view, this is a good thing for Arlington," said Rich Doud, president of the Arlington Chamber of Commerce. "I'm more interested in what they are now and what they're going to do here than in their baggage."

In 2007, Blackwater employees working as a diplomatic security detail in Iraq were accused of shooting 17 people to death.

Since then, the firm has tried to get its reputation back on track.

The charges were all dropped, and the company changed its name, its ownership and its leadership.

The move to Arlington, Proctor said, is part of that rehabilitative process for the company.

"The move is a demonstration of our company's giving priority to our relationship with the government," Proctor said.