Portsmouth City Officials Strategize to Stop Illegal Activity at New Hideout
Portsmouth police have identified a new location where drug use and other activities are taking place.
There’s a “lover’s lane” in every town. Our parents accused us of “necking”. Although I have tasted many poison fruits, your humble reporter can honestly declare that I have never rubbed necks with anyone.
It turns out that the new problem site is actually a drain on Coles Boulevard next to the Armory. When you take a few steps down the concrete area, it opens up to a small creek. Just up the hill, to the right, is a small clearing. The site has been reported as a place where people make drugs (like shake and bake meth), take drugs, and even stay overnight.
When we saw the incidents reflected in the police logs, we decided to take a closer look at them. The following are photographs of the area.
There are no “walking homeless” using this hiding place. Rather, drivers park on the street in an effort to blend in with local residents. A short walk across the street will bring them to the drain entrance.
SCDN forwarded this information to members of Portsmouth City Council for their comments.
Councilman Edwin Martell said, “City Manager Sam Sutherland and Chief Brewer are aware of the situation and are already strategizing on how to best address the issue. PPD does a great job and they work very well with City Manager Sam Sutherland at making sure our city is safe.”
Mayor Kevin E. Johnson added, “I’ll be reaching out to City Manager Sutherland next week for an update. If we do have an issue in that area, I’ll request swift and immediate action (for) any illegal activities.
As the camera person was out, they were sent to the area underneath the bridge at Young Street. This area has been a notorious trouble spot. You may recall that the bridge had to undergo structural inspections not long ago due to a large fire.
The following photos illustrate the current condition of that area.
Our local law enforcement, city manager, and other leaders have all monitored these trouble spots and will continue to do so. We are committed to keeping you updated on the progress being made.