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Chief Jenkins: Portsmouth crimes down overall; drug arrests and kidnappings up in first quarter
Summary
At an April 14 Portsmouth work session, Police Chief Jenkins told council overall reported group‑crime figures fell 5.25% year‑over‑year for Q1 2026 but flagged increases in drug violations and domestic‑related abductions, and described operations, community programs and staffing needs.
Chief Jenkins told the Portsmouth City Council at a public work session on April 14 that overall reported group‑crime numbers for Jan. 1–March 31, 2026, were down about 5.25% compared with the same period in 2025, but that several problem areas require continued focus.
Jenkins, the city’s police chief, said the department has switched its public reporting to the FBI’s group‑crime standard and encouraged council and the public to consult the police department’s online dashboards for block‑level detail. “Total crimes were down 5.25%,” he said, summarizing the department’s quarterly data while noting that percent changes alone can mask small‑number effects.
The nut graf: Jenkins reported sharper declines in some violent‑crime measures — aggravated assaults fell about 14.3% in offenses and 27.3% in victims — and said homicides that occurred early in the year are under active investigation, with one ruled justifiable based on the probe. At the same time, he cautioned, other…
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