In the span of just one day, Portsmouth police and medics were called to three very different—but equally telling—incidents, each one a snapshot of the city’s ongoing struggle with homelessness, mental health, and public safety.
🗑️ Morning Dumpster Call
Just after 7 a.m., first responders were dispatched to Franklin Avenue after reports of an unresponsive woman in a dumpster. Police and medics rushed to the scene—only to find that the woman wasn’t injured or in medical distress. She had simply been sleeping there.
🚶♂️ Afternoon Naked Man in the Parking Lot
By 4 p.m., officers were called to an 11th Street business about a naked man in the back parking lot. According to the police log, the situation was “handled,” but no further details were provided.
🛋️ Nighttime Sofa Standoff at the Royal Inn
At 10:30 p.m., workers at the Royal Inn dialed 911 after a homeless woman brought a couch into the motel’s office and refused to remove it. When officers arrived, they found a familiar face—a troubled woman police have had frequent contact with in the past. She was told to remove the sofa and leave the property.
🧠 The Bigger Picture: Not Just Isolated Incidents
These calls might seem unusual—or even bizarre—but they highlight the daily reality of Portsmouth’s homeless crisis:
- People sleeping in unsafe or unsanitary places
- Public nudity tied to mental illness or substance use
- Businesses and hotels forced to call police when situations escalate
With limited shelter space, no local inpatient psychiatric beds, and a lack of low-barrier housing, individuals in crisis often end up in public spaces, creating safety concerns for themselves and others.
💡 What’s Needed Now
Experts say the solution isn’t more arrests—it’s more resources:
- 24/7 crisis intervention teams
- Safe overnight spaces for people with nowhere else to go
- Mental health treatment that doesn’t require a criminal charge to access
Until then, Portsmouth police will keep responding to calls like these—part law enforcement, part social work, and part emergency triage—all while the underlying crisis goes unsolved.