Portsmouth Police Officer Takes on CPS To Fight For Kids’ Safety

A Portsmouth Police Officer took on a CPS supervisor to make sure kids were removed from a dangerous living situation. Plus there was a string of overdose calls.

Threats Were Made

• Just before 12:30 am, a Gay Street caller asked police to drive through the area. The caller said they received threats earlier and reported people walking around the area. An officer checked it out but didn’t see anyone.
• At 1:08 am a caller told officers he had a leg injury and that there were people after him. When they talked to the man, he admitted he has mental issues and skipped his medicines in favor of self-medicating with meth. Police arranged for an ambulance to transport him to the hospital.
• Police were called back to the Gay Street home at 3 am. The intoxicated resident told police someone kept walking past her door and saying, “Kick it in.”  At 5:40 am, they were called back again for the same complaint.

Late Night Repairs

A Jackson Avenue caller complained of a utility truck in the alley at 1 am. The caller said the truck had been there for two nights.

Officers found a Spectrum bucket truck at the scene. An employee told police he works the night shift for the company and is in the city most night taking care of business.

Unwanted Visitors?

• At 4 am, a caller told police people attempted to get in the front door of a Kent Street home. Officers responded to the scene but found no intruders and no damage to the door.
• Police responded to a report of strange noises at a Thomas Avenue home at 5:26 am. The caller heard a noise in the attic and thought someone had come in through a window. Officers found nothing in the attic.

Hey! That’s My Stuff

• A Franklin Avenue caller reported a neighbor for stealing electricity just after 9 am. He told police the neighbor plugged a cord into his light pole. The man unplugged the cord. Officers attempted to speak with the neighbor but no one was home.
• Police responded to a report of a shoplifter at the CVS on the Scioto Trail just before 2:30 pm. The suspect left the store and headed north on the Scioto Trail.
• A caller informed police that two Chestnut Street residents have been breaking into vehicles in the area and had also cut the exhaust from her truck. Police recognized the names as people they’ve had previous contact with and went out to get a statement.

Ticket, Please

• Police went on a bit of a spree Between 9 and 10 am,  marking vehicles four vehicles on Summit Street for timed violations, as well as vehicles on Grandview, Vinton, and Highland.
• At 9:30 am the towing began. An Auburn Avenue vehicle owner managed to talk police out of taking his Honda. He promised to get it fixed and properly tagged.
• Six minutes later a vehicle they towed a vehicle with three flat tires from Kendall Avenue.
• At 10:36 am, the tow truck hooked up a vehicle on Argonne Road with no tags.
• Just before 11 am, a junk vehicle on Valley Street was towed away.

Under The Influence

• • Officers responded to a report of an overdose on 9^th Street at noon. An ambulance took the man to the hospital.
  • At 1:30 am, a Robinson Avenue caller reported a woman staggering in the street. Police could not locate her.
  • A man overdosed in the middle of 8^th Street at 5 pm and didn’t seem to be breathing. An ambulance transported him to the hospital.
  • At 6:30 pm, there was an overdose report at Alexandria house. The man refused treatment.
  • Just after 7 pm, police responded to a report of an OD on 12^th Street. An ambulance transported the woman to the hospital.

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No Place To Go

At 1:20 pm, a caller reported a woman walking east on 11^th Street carrying a baby and dragging luggage.

When officers arrived on the scene, they discovered she had a backpack and not a baby. The woman is from South Carolina and has no family or friends in the area.

She told police she’s not allowed back at the homeless shelter. Officers suggested she head to the Salvation Army for help.

About 30 minutes later, an officer took the woman to the 17^th Street homeless shelter.

Child Welfare Check

Portsmouth Police assisted CPS in performing a welfare check on three elementary school students who haven’t logged into class for the past two weeks. School officials said the mother had been verbally aggressive toward the school staff.

Officers headed to their High Street home but were unable to make contact with anyone.

Officer Threatens to Arrest CPS Supervisor

A Portsmouth officer went all out to protect some kids from a dangerous living situation just before 4 pm.

CPS asked for help checking out a Kinney’s Lane home where suspected squatters were living with kids. The Health Department was on the scene as well. The children were still at their school.

Police found the home in bad condition and the Health Department condemned the house.

The officer returned to the school to speak with the CPS caseworker. It seems the caseworker’s supervisor was hesitant to remove the children. The officer sent their bodycam footage to CPS to examine and made a pretty bold statement. “If the supervisor sends kids back to the house, I will arrest them for child endangering.”

The children were placed with a family member while CPS worked on a safety plan.

Worried Husband

A hospitalized husband became worried when he couldn’t get in touch with his wife around 4:30 pm. He feared she’d fallen.

Before officers arrived at the scene, the husband called to say it turned out she’d just run to the store.

Family Feud

The Woodbine Apartments favorite feuding siblings were at it again at 6:30 pm. This time the sister said her brother assaulted her and left the scene.

She refused an ambulance.