As Portsmouth continues to grapple with the grip of a long-running drug crisis, local police were kept busy over the weekend responding to a string of disturbing incidents tied to substance abuse and erratic behavior.
Just before 1 a.m. Saturday morning, officers were dispatched to Center Street after a concerned caller reported that a man — someone authorities say they’re all too familiar with — had overdosed. Medics checked the individual but ultimately determined that hospitalization wasn’t necessary.
An hour later, at 2 a.m., 911 dispatchers received a troubling call from a man at the Wendy’s on Gallia Street. He told them he’d been riding a Greyhound bus when he started “losing his mind.” The caller admitted he had taken a handful of pills and was experiencing suicidal thoughts. Medics from the Portsmouth Fire Department responded quickly and transported him to the hospital for treatment.
Later that morning, security at Southern Ohio Medical Center contacted police after noticing a man behaving suspiciously in the hospital’s parking garage. Security suspected drug use but, since the man was accompanied by a friend and no further complaints were made, officers allowed hospital security to handle the situation.
By 10:30 a.m., neighbors near the homeless shelter on 8th Street called 911 to report a group of individuals openly smoking marijuana in the backyard. However, the group had already dispersed by the time officers arrived on the scene.
While none of the incidents led to arrests or major confrontations, they paint a clear picture of an ongoing issue plaguing the community. The weekend’s calls highlight how Portsmouth’s drug epidemic continues to manifest in unpredictable — and sometimes dangerous — ways.
Police remain committed to responding swiftly and with compassion, especially when mental health and addiction crises are involved. But as the city continues to battle the ripple effects of substance abuse, it’s clear that law enforcement alone can’t shoulder the burden.
