General News
7 May, 2025
Police patterns 'too predictable' at Centennial Place
Lee Ellis has weighed in on the police response to anti-social behaviour at the CBD hot spot.
Like the predictable arms on his plastic clock, Lee Ellis says the police arrive “like clockwork” at Centennial Place between 1.30pm and 2.30pm most days to carry out a search for illegal alcohol consumption.
He said the police usually arrive in three vehicles with up to eight officers in attendance.
Once the usual back and forth between police and itinerants has taken place – where police tell itinerants they should move on and itinerants verbally abuse the police – the officers pour out any alcohol and drive away.
Lee said a lone police vehicle usually returns about one hour later in an apparent effort to surprise the CBD drinkers.
He said the other itinerants at Centennial Place were well aware of the routine and made efforts to ensure their alcohol was well stashed deep in the gardens or in neighbouring buildings out of the sight of police.
“I think it would take the police a long time to find it all – it is hidden everywhere,” he said.
“I don’t think the police have been trained enough in what to look for.”
Several of the back fence panels in the park have been removed to allow easy access to the empty buildings next door.
Lee said any alcohol that was poured out by police was quickly replenished from the various alcohol stashes at the back of the park.
When North West Weekly arrived at Centennial Place one morning, various people were observed pulling bags of wine and bottles from the garden bed near the rear amphitheater area before consuming the alcohol in plain sight.
The same people were also observed pouring remnants of alcohol into plastic soft drink and water bottles in an attempt to disguise its contents before wandering off to other locations.
Lee said young people carrying backpacks often wandered through the gardens in search of stashed alcohol.
He said around 9am each day, many itinerants left the area in search of “captains”, which is what he believes they call friends and family who have money to borrow from.
At 10am they purchase their grog from the bottle shops in the three nearby corners – with cask wine and cheap port being the favoured drinks – before returning to the “Bermuda Triangle” to continue their consumption for the morning.
“They will be back here before 10.30, cracking it open and drinking it. They know it’s illegal because they hide it,” Lee said.