If it felt like police were everywhere this weekend, it’s because they were — not chasing criminals, but responding to a steady stream of calls tied to homelessness, mental illness, and people in visible distress.
According to reports from the Portsmouth Police Department, officers were dispatched again and again to situations where something was clearly wrong — but criminal charges often weren’t the answer.
What follows is a snapshot of just one stretch of time.
Early-Morning Apartment Intrusion
Just after 5 a.m., residents at Alexandria Hours Apartments reported two homeless individuals inside a common area of the building.
Officers spoke with the pair — a woman wearing red pants and a flannel shirt and a man in blue jeans and a vest. The two left the area without incident.
No arrests. No charges. Just another reminder of how thin the line is between “trespassing” and “nowhere else to go.”
Businesses Become the Front Line
As the day went on, calls shifted from residences to businesses — places never meant to function as crisis centers.
- Fast Stop Market (9 a.m.)
Employees reported a woman who appeared “high” and was causing a disturbance. Officers determined she was not under the influence, but suffering from mental illness. She was issued a no-trespass order.
- Charles & Boundary Streets (9:30 a.m.)
A man was reported sitting motionless in the middle of the street. Officers took him into custody for safety reasons, arranged for a vehicle to be towed, and impounded a weapon for test firing. He was taken to the police station for a report — no arrest was made.
- Gallia Street near Save-A-Lot (1 p.m.)
A man was reported jumping in and out of moving traffic. He was gone before officers arrived.
- 11th Street business (2:30 p.m.)
A homeless man refused to leave. Officers noted he had previously been cited for selling items on the street. He left without incident.
- Fred’s Pizza Express
Officers were called for a woman with mental health issues causing problems at the business. She left before police arrived.
- Kroger
A woman was found yelling and punching herself in the middle of the store. Officers arrested Tracey Castle for disorderly conduct, trespassed her from the store, and booked her into the Scioto County Jail.
Threats at the Shelter — Then Kroger Again
Police were also called to the homeless shelter on 8th Street after reports of a man with a mohawk wearing a Bengals jacket threatening to kill people. Callers said he claimed to have recently been released from prison and often carried a knife, though no weapon was seen at the time.
Officers told the man to gather his belongings and leave.
Later that same day, a man matching the description was reported causing a disturbance at Kroger — but once again, he left before officers arrived.
Not Crime — Crisis
What stands out in this roundup isn’t how many people were arrested.
It’s how often police had limited or no legal authority to act.
Public sidewalks. No probable cause. Mental illness without an immediate criminal offense. People cycling from shelters to stores to streets — and back again.
👮 Police responded.
🏪 Businesses called for help.
🧑⚕️ Social service systems strained under the load.
And the same calls keep coming.
Is it fair that police are repeatedly sent into mental health situations they can’t legally resolve?
Should grocery stores, restaurants, and apartment buildings be forced into the role of crisis managers?
And most importantly — what does a real solution look like for a city facing this level of visible mental health need?
Short-term fixes aren’t working. Jail isn’t treatment. And warning someone to “move along” doesn’t solve what happens next.
We want to hear from you:
