Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Pokémon Go: Police fired for chasing Snorlax instead of robbers

Pokémon Go: Police fired for chasing Snorlax instead of robbers

Two Los Angeles police officers were fired for chasing Pokémon rather than fleeing robbers, court documents show.

The pair were parked nearby when a radio call came in for officers to respond to a shop robbery.

But a review of their in-car camera footage showed they had been playing Pokémon Go and chose to pursue a nearby Snorlax - a relatively rare catch - instead of providing back-up.

The pair denied playing the game but were sacked after an investigation.

Virtual creatures


Details of the case emerged when the most recent documents about their appeal - which was dismissed - were spotted by Axios.

After ignoring a radio call for back-up, "for approximately the next 20 minutes, [video] captured [the] petitioners discussing Pokémon as they drove to different locations where the virtual creatures apparently appeared on their mobile phones", the documents say.

Louis Lozano and Eric Mitchell had been on patrol when Macy's department store was robbed, on 15 April 2017.

Another officer, Capt Davenport, who also heard the call, could see the shop - and another police car parked in a nearby alley, the court documents show.

Those nearby officers did not respond to the call, so Capt Davenport did so himself - and saw the other police car reverse down the alley and leave the area.

The two officers later told a sergeant who had been trying to contact them to provide back-up they had not heard the radio.

Snorlax is a fan favourite, appearing in almost every game


But the in-car camera footage revealed they had discussed the call and decided not to respond.

Instead, five minutes later, they could be heard talking about catching Pokémon.

"Officer Mitchell alerted Lozano that 'Snorlax... just popped up [at] 46th and Leimert'", the documents say.

The pair then left in that direction to embark on a 20-minute gaming session and discussion.

They could be heard talking about the successful capture of Snorlax and how difficult the battle with Togetic - another Pokémon - was.

"The guys are going to be so jealous," Officer Mitchell said.

'Extra patrol'


Both officers denied gaming on duty, telling the investigating detective Officer Mitchell had been reading aloud from a text group of other players "bragging about their scores".

"Det McClanahan determined [the] petitioners were not being truthful," the court documents say.

A subsequent board hearing into misconduct found the pair guilty of:

* failing to respond to a robbery call

* making misleading statements

* failing to respond to the radio when contacted

* playing Pokémon Go on duty

* making false statements under investigation

The "petitioners admitted leaving their foot-beat area in search of Snorlax but they insisted they did so 'both' as part of an 'extra patrol' and to 'chase this mythical creature'," according to the court.

Their representatives had argued in-car recordings were not supposed to be used to record private conversations and should not have been used as evidence - but that was denied.

The pair then went to court, where their case was rejected.

The appeal court also rejected the case, saying the two former officers' rights had not been violated.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
Intel Reports Revenue Beats but Sees 81% Rise in Losses
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
Tulsi Gabbard Unveils Evidence Alleging Political Manipulation of Intelligence During Trump Administration
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Trump Announces Coca-Cola to Shift to Cane Sugar in U.S. Production
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
Moonshot AI Unveils Kimi K2: A New Open-Source AI Model
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
×