In a jaw-dropping LAPD scandal, officers in 2017 traded in their badges for Poké Balls, as they abandoned their duty to respond to a robbery in pursuit of Pokémon Go glory. These officers were parked just across the street from the crime scene but decided to embark on a hunt for a virtual Snorlax instead, as if it were some sort of elusive fugitive! Their commitment to the game was so intense that they couldn’t resist discussing their Pokémon adventure, all while an emergency call for backup went unanswered. To add a touch of slapstick, their quest even led to speeding through a residential neighborhood and a wrong-way journey down a one-way street – all in the name of Pikachu, we presume.
Despite boasting a combined 24 years of service in the force, they were unceremoniously dismissed in 2018 and tried to defend their actions by claiming they couldn’t hear the radio due to “loud music” in the vicinity. It’s safe to say their appeal fell flat, much like a deflated Jigglypuff, when footage from their squad car proved they were spinning a whimsical tale. This revealing incident, fit for a comedy of errors, came to light after someone filed a records request, leaving many to ponder the peculiar intersection of professional duty and virtual adventures that had these officers chasing Charizards instead of criminals.
(Here’s a clip. They talk about the Snorlax at :30.)
