The revolving door of homelessness and emergency response spun yet again Thursday evening when officers were called to the Super Quick on Galena Pike for a homeless man who simply would not leave the property—even after employees removed him multiple times.
According to witnesses, the man kept returning and lingering around the store, forcing workers to call law enforcement for help.
🚑 Officers Request EMS After Man Refuses to Leave
Deputies arrived to find the man still on the property and showing signs of distress. After speaking with him, they requested an ambulance to evaluate his condition. Officers soon learned he also had an active warrant out of another county.
The man was trespassed from the business, and EMS transported him to the hospital for medical evaluation.
🌀 One Call in a Much Bigger Problem
This incident mirrors dozens occurring every week across the Portsmouth area:
- Businesses repeatedly calling police for the same individuals refusing to leave
- Homeless men and women cycling between stores, parks, and parking lots
- Mental health and addiction issues at the root of many confrontations
- Emergency crews stretched thin, responding to the same people day after day
Local officers frequently find themselves trying to balance public safety with compassion—often calling EMS, QRT, or mental health workers for individuals who have nowhere stable to go.
🏙️ A Crisis Playing Out in Public
This latest call at Super Quick is just one more example of how homelessness is spilling into every corner of the community—from gas stations and grocery stores to parks, libraries, and abandoned buildings. And without treatment options and shelter capacity, police end up being the default response team.
As temperatures drop and many shelters fill up, officials expect calls like this to continue climbing.
For now, one more man has been moved along. But the crisis that keeps bringing him back remains unsolved.
