Portsmouth police handled another round of calls involving homeless campers, complaints outside local businesses, and a man officers have encountered repeatedly sleeping on the hood of a truck.
The calls took officers from Tracy Park to Greenlawn Cemetery and a downtown restaurant, with some of the same problems popping up again the next morning.
Campers Told to Clean Up Tracy Park
Officers were in Tracy Park early in the day speaking with homeless campers about trash left in the area.
According to the police log, officers told the campers to pick up the trash and leave. The campers began cleaning up while police were there.
But officers were back at the park the following morning.
This time, they found at least three people who appeared to have spent the night sleeping on the stage with sleeping bags and tarps.
Officers woke them up and noted that the camping appeared to fall under the city’s park regulations. However, it was already after dawn when police made contact.
No arrest was listed.
Ambulance Crew Spots Man Motionless on Truck Hood
In another call, a Portsmouth ambulance crew reported passing a man lying motionless on the hood of a dark-colored truck parked on Kinney’s Lane near Greenlawn Cemetery.
Police have fielded dozens of calls involving a homeless man who is frequently found sleeping on the hood of a truck.
The latest log entry does not provide additional details about the outcome of this particular welfare check.
Man Accused of Taking Items Behind Restaurant
Police were also called to the Fork & Finger restaurant on 2nd Street after a resident living above the business reported seeing a man dressed in black taking items from a cooler behind the restaurant and loading them into something on the sidewalk.
When officers arrived, they encountered a homeless man with whom they have had frequent contact.
According to the police log, the man had an empty jar and a suitcase.
Officers advised him to stay away from the business.
No arrest was listed in the information provided.
The Same Problems, Different Locations
For Portsmouth businesses and residents, these calls are becoming familiar.
Campers are told to clean up Tracy Park, only for officers to return the next morning and find people sleeping on the stage. A man is spotted motionless on a truck hood, prompting another welfare concern. A downtown business calls after someone is seen taking items from behind the building.
Police can check on someone, move people along, issue warnings, and enforce park rules when appropriate.
But the calls also show how frequently homelessness brings officers back to the same public spaces and businesses, often without a lasting resolution.