Two Los Angeles police officers who were fired for playing Pokemon Go while they should have been responding to a robbery have failed in an attempt to get their jobs back.
A California appellate court has ruled that the LAPD made a fair decision in firing Louis Lozano and Eric Mitchell for misconduct in 2017, court documents reveal. The decision comes after the officers’ patrol car video system caught them debating how to catch a Snorlax as they played the game — ignoring a report of a major robbery that was taking place at a nearby Macy’s, prosecutors say.
Two Los Angeles police officers who were fired in 2017 for playing the video game Pokémon GO while on the job, have been denied reinstatement by a judge. https://t.co/dx3Tgrk6cU
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) January 11, 2022
Although Lozano and Mitchell claimed they hadn’t heard the call for backup, the surveillance footage reveals they discussed whether to respond, with Lozano finally saying, “Aw, screw it.” They then continued to play the game for at least 20 more minutes, driving to various locations in pursuit of Pokemon.
Should these cops be charged with a crime for not protecting the public?
