They ignored the call for backup from a police colleague and preferred to play Pokémon GO instead. Two police officers were fired for this.
What is it about? Two police officers who worked for the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) were fired. Among other reasons, because they were playing the mobile game Pokémon GO (via Kotaku.com).
- On April 15, 2017, the two officers Lozano and Mitchell were assigned as patrol for the LAPD.
- Both have over 28 years of experience as police officers combined.
- Colleagues communicated via radio that a robbery was taking place and requested backup.
- The two mentioned officers ignored the request for backup and instead caught Pokémon.
- The exact details of the evening have now been shared with the public through new documents.
Surveillance camera records how the cops were looking for Snorlax
This is what happened that evening: While the request for backup was made via radio, the two officers Mitchell and Lozano were not far from the store where the robbery was taking place. A colleague saw the car with the two officers leaving the area after the radio call. Apparently, so that the two officers could play Pokémon GO.
The surveillance camera (DICVS), which is installed in the police vehicles, recorded the evening and what the officers did. The recordings from that evening, together with the lies of the officers regarding the incidents, led to both being fired.
The representatives of Lozano and Mitchell subsequently filed a request to appeal the decision. They argued that using the DICVS material as part of the official investigation of their behavior violated the privacy protections of conversations between officers. On January 7, this appeal was denied. Therefore, there is now a good insight into what happened that day in the police car of the two officers from the official documents from January 2022:
[…] For the next about 20 minutes, the DICVS recorded how the two plaintiffs talked about Pokémon GO while driving to various locations where the virtual creatures apparently appeared on their mobile phones.
On the way to the location of Snorlax, Officer Mitchell pointed out to Officer Lozano that ‘a Togetic just appeared.’ It would be ‘in Crenshaw, south of the 50th.’ After Mitchell apparently caught the Snorlax and shouted, “I got it!”, the two plaintiffs agreed to ‘get the Togetic’ and continued driving.
At the next stop, the DICVS recorded Mitchell saying: ‘Don’t run away. Please don’t run away!’ while Lozano explained how he caught the Togetic [with Ultra Balls] and then exclaimed, ‘I got it!’
Mitchell explained that he was still trying to catch it. ‘Holy crap, man. That thing is fighting like crazy with me. Finally, Mitchell shouted, ‘Holy crap, finally,’ which was apparently a reference to catching Togetic, and he remarked: ‘The guys are going to be so jealous.’
The two plaintiffs then decided to return to the 7-Eleven (where their Sergeant Gomez later met them) to finish their shift. On the way there, Mitchell remarked, ‘I got you a new Pokémon today, buddy.’
In 2017, the hype around Pokémon GO was still very strong. The game had not even been out for a year yet, and special Pokémon that were strong or rare attracted hundreds of players.
By 2022, no one would probably go out of their way for a Snorlax or a Togetic anymore. The Pokémon have become significantly less exciting, and there are much stronger alternatives that can be fought and caught even from home via remote raids.
Right now, Pokémon that look unnatural are particularly exciting. Like this broken Shelmet that Pokémon GO trainers find really cool.
