Portsmouth Police dealt with a string of unsettling calls this week, ranging from a man defiling a church fountain to drug suspects slumped in a car and a homeless man spooking store workers.
Church Defiled
The pastor of Beulah Baptist Church on 14th Street called officers after spotting a man defecating on church property—right in the fountain. The suspect, described as a Black male with braids wearing a black-and-white top, was located nearby and warned to stay off church grounds.
Slumped Over on Front Street
Earlier in the evening, around 6 p.m., officers were called to Front and Jefferson Streets where two people were reported slumped over inside a parked car. Both a man and woman were detained, and their vehicle was towed. Police records indicate they weren’t booked into jail, suggesting they were cited and given court dates.
Suspicious at the Storefront
On Gallia Street, workers at a business called 911 after a man in a green parka and black duffel bag repeatedly circled the store, appearing to film inside. Staff locked the doors out of fear, and when the man tried to get back in, they refused.
Police caught up with him in the Domino’s Pizza parking lot. He told officers he was just trying to get a second cup of water but was warned to stay away from the business. Records show the same man was convicted of disorderly conduct in August and released with a suspended fine.
A Bigger Crisis
From public indecency at a church to unsettling behavior at local businesses and suspected drug activity on city streets, Portsmouth police say these incidents are part of a larger cycle tied to homelessness, addiction, and untreated mental illness. Officers respond daily, but without broader solutions, the same problems keep showing up—sometimes in public spaces, sometimes in sacred ones.
