It was a busy afternoon for officers dealing with homeless-related calls across the city, as construction zones, condemned properties, and safety concerns collided with the reality of people having nowhere else to go.
1:00 p.m. — Camp Cleared for Construction
Officers with the Portsmouth Police Department were called to a homeless camp along River Road around 1 p.m.
Due to ongoing construction in the area, the site had to be cleared for safety reasons. Officers assisted code enforcement, advising everyone in the camp to move along. A vehicle located in the area was also towed.
No arrests were made.
5:00 p.m. — Condemned House Check
Later in the day, around 5 p.m., a 7th Street resident reported a group of homeless individuals going in and out of a condemned house.
Officers responded and secured the property, ensuring no one was inside and that the structure was properly closed off.
Barefoot Near the River
Just minutes later, officers spotted a barefoot woman coming from the area near the condemned house. She told police she had not been inside and said she had walked up from the river.
Officers offered assistance, but the woman declined help. Because she was not intoxicated and not committing a crime, officers said there was nothing more they could legally do.
Safety, Enforcement, or Just Moving the Problem?
In just a few hours:
- A camp was cleared
- A condemned house was secured
- A barefoot woman walked away with no services
Police followed the law. Code enforcement did its job. And yet, by nightfall, the underlying issue hadn’t changed.
It leaves a question many residents keep asking:
👉 Are these calls about public safety—or are we just shuffling people from one spot to another with nowhere to land?
For now, officers can enforce rules and offer help—but if that help is refused, the street remains the final stop.
