Stunning video shows the moment two Los Angeles cops were too busy talking about Pokémon Go to help their fellow officers on an armed robbery call.
Last week, the LAPD released the dashcam footage of the embossing incident, in which officers Louis Lozano and Eric Mitchell discussed ‘potions and Pokéballs’ while a Macy’s store in Crenshaw was being robbed.
In the footage, one officer asks: ‘Are you watching a video, or are you playing?’
‘No, I’m watching a video,’ the other responds.
‘Oh, ok. I thought maybe you were able to live chat with whoever you were playing a game with online right now. I’m like, dang,’ the first officer says, laughing.
The incident led to both officer’s being fired from the department when a police board of rights unanimously ruled that the acted in a way that was ‘unprofessional and embarrassing’ and ‘violated the trust of the public.’
LAPD officers Louis Lozano and Eric Mitchell were caught on patrol car camera talking about ‘Pokeballs and potions’ related to the popular game Pokemon Go
The robbery occurred in April 2017, but LAPD released the three-hour surveillance video this week.
Lozano and Mitchell have not been associated with the department since 2018. Lozano had been on the job for roughly 17 years, and Mitchell for seven.
The two had appealed their dismissal, but the decision was upheld.
They were found to have broken department policy by failing to back up their colleague – and by denying that they were playing the game when confronted by supervisors and internal affairs investigators.
Following an internal investigation, the officers were charged with multiple counts of misconduct, including failing to respond to a robbery call and making misleading statements to department officials.
The footage showed the car cruising under a stoplight, the first officer remarks: ‘It’s nice to have more Pokeballs and have the potions.’
They proceed to banter back and forth, with one commenting: ‘He catches everything,’ an allusion to the game in which players have to trap characters within a ball.
‘I don’t catch everything,’ the officer says.
‘But you’re still pretty high up there for not catching everything.’
![They failed to respond to a robbery in April 2017 because they were too distracted playing the game, ignoring radio calls as their colleague requested backup](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/08/15/76302133-12607479-They_failed_to_respond_to_a_robbery_in_April_2017_because_they_w-a-1_1696775173603.jpg)
They failed to respond to a robbery in April 2017 because they were too distracted playing the game, ignoring radio calls as their colleague requested backup
![The robbery occurred at a Macy's in Crenshaw, and the officers were parked only 200 yards away - before driving off and discussing the game](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/08/14/76302163-12607479-image-a-3_1696771141902.jpg)
The robbery occurred at a Macy’s in Crenshaw, and the officers were parked only 200 yards away – before driving off and discussing the game
At one point in the footage, Lozano can be heard saying, ‘I don’t want to be his help’ in response to an LAPD captain’s request for backup in responding to a robbery in progress with multiple suspects at the Crenshaw Mall.
He and Mitchell were parked less than 200 yards away at the time, according to the department.
They discussed the game for more than 20 minutes while driving to places where characters like Snorlax and Togetic were known to appear.
Records show their patrol supervisor attempted to hail Lozano and Mitchell on their car radio to see if they could assist other officers.
When he questioned Lozano and Mitchell about their whereabouts, they said they had been in a park with loud music engaging with community members and hadn’t heard the call.
After looking at the squad car video, the supervisor determined that the officers had indeed heard it, but decided to ignore the call because they were playing the popular augmented reality game.
Lozano and Mitchell also denied having driven to catch the mythical creatures, arguing that the game required players to walk, not drive.
![Both upper and lower courts upheld the City's decision to fire the officers, though their attorney Greg Yacoubian argued that use of the patrol car footage constituted a violation of privacy](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/08/15/76302227-12607479-Both_upper_and_lower_courts_upheld_the_City_s_decision_to_fire_t-a-2_1696775173604.jpg)
Both upper and lower courts upheld the City’s decision to fire the officers, though their attorney Greg Yacoubian argued that use of the patrol car footage constituted a violation of privacy
![Pokemon Go remains popular, even eight years after its launch; thousands of players came together in London in August 2023 for first ever Pokemon Go Fest](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/08/16/76302175-12607479-Pokemon_Go_remains_popular_even_eight_years_after_its_launch_tho-a-1_1696779102908.jpg)
Pokemon Go remains popular, even eight years after its launch; thousands of players came together in London in August 2023 for first ever Pokemon Go Fest
The officers appealed their terminations, arguing the recordings were ‘private conversations’ that should be dismissed – but in January 2022, the California Court of Appeal affirmed a decision by a lower court that the LAPD was justified in the firings.
Greg Yacoubian, an attorney representing both officers, said Lozano and Mitchell were ‘treated unfairly.’
He argued the department broke its own rules by using the dashcam recording of private conversations to prove the officers’ misconduct.
He also said the officers were interviewed without legal or labor representation present.
‘The right to privacy of the officers is really what was at issue here,’ he said, adding that there was ‘no dispute’ that the camera had been left on accidentally.
The department presented 16 exhibits during the officers’ disciplinary hearing according to LAPD records.
This included evidence ‘defining their words as part of Pokémon Go lexicon.’
The officers pleaded guilty to not responding to the radio call but not guilty to other counts of misconduct.
They denied playing Pokémon Go, but admitted leaving their patrol to find a Snorlax, a creature described as ‘very lazy’ that ‘stops eating only to sleep.’
Lozano and Mitchell alternately claimed they were participating in a ‘social media event’ related to the game as part of an ‘extra patrol.’
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