The early Pokémon Go frenzy apparently led to poor selections from two law enforcement officials. As Axios‘ Stephen Totilo and BBC News report, the LAPD is now known to have fired officers Louis Lozano and Eric Mitchell for ignoring a theft on April fifteenth, 2017 to play Niantic’s augmented actuality blockbuster. Rather than reply to a radio name demanding backup for a theft at Macy’s within the Crenshaw Mall, the policemen reportedly spent the following 20 minutes driving round to catch a Snorlax (an unusual discover within the recreation) and a Togetic.
Lozano and Mitchell denied enjoying Pokémon Go and insisted they had been solely “having a conversation” concerning the recreation, however the in-car digicam revealed they mentioned the theft name and selected to disregard it. Another officer additionally witnessed the cruiser go away the realm after the decision. The particulars got here to gentle when the ex-cops misplaced an attraction that will have tossed out the damning footage over alleged rights violations.
The incident got here months after Niantic began discouraging drivers from enjoying, and it is secure to say moments like this are much less seemingly when Pokémon Go demand has cooled down. Still, this highlights the hazards of each AR metaverses and addictive gameplay — it may be all too tempting to shirk real-life duties when the digital world beckons.
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