Newark Police Stage Successful Pokémon Go Event

NEWARK, CA — Newark Police posted on their Facebook page Sunday, "Two minutes into it and we have about 100 people here. Great showing and we love seeing everyone here. Gotta catch them all!!"

By "catch" they weren't talking about hardened criminals but Pokémon. The police department has two “Pokéstops” right next to each other on the corner of Newark Boulevard and Civic Terrace Avenue. They activated nonstop “Lure Modules” at the police station.

For non-players, the above gobbledygook means that Newark Police went out of their way to provide a safe environment for kids and adults alike to play the summer's hottest game, Pokémon Go. At one point, about 200 people were catching Pokémon and gathering Pokéballs.

And the players loved it! Matthew Murray wrote on Facebook, "Hope you can do another Pokemon event soon." While Jen Geipel chimed in, "We had a great time."

They even live streamed for a bit —

• Also See: Meet the California Man Behind Pokémon Go

Until the next event, Newark Police offer these tips for staying safe when playing:

-Be alert at all times
-Stay aware of your surroundings, be mindful of possible fake "Pokestops" for opportunist criminals
-Do not go into isolated areas or trespass
-Do not drive or ride your bike, while interacting with the app...plenty of accidents has been reported
-Do not go where you usually would not if you weren't playing
-Remind your kids about "stranger-danger" and supervise them
-Don't get tricked or fooled into buying 3rd party app claiming to enhance the game. Protect your sensitive data
-Finally, have fun and stay safe!

— Image via Newark Police