Catch 'Em All on 'Pokemon Go,' But Do It Safely: Police

Deerfield, IL—When it comes to Pokémon Go, the Deerfield Police Department has nothing against residents trying to catch 'em all.

The agency just wants people to be safe doing it.

In case you don't have children, you're someone vehemently opposed to emojis or you're perplexed why anyone would waste time with angry birds or candy crushes, you probably have no clue what Pokémon Go is even if you are familiar with the Pokémon craze that swept the world in the early '00s.

Pokémon Go is the free augmented reality mobile app that lets people "spot" and "capture" the Nintendo pocket monsters in real world settings. That means you could run into Squirtle hanging out in front of Village Hall. Or see Meowith avoiding construction while crossing Deerfield Road.

The experience looks a little something like this on your cell phone's camera:

While this can be a fun activity for kids and adults to do by themselves or with others, Deerfield police are worried that it might be distracting and create some hazards.

"The app could pose issues around people’s physical safety, such as driving while using the app, which causes users to stop in traffic to catch a Pokémon on the street or side of the road," an alert on the department's Facebook page stated. "Pedestrians could be at risk as well, because large groups of juveniles tend to walk together staring at their cellular phones to navigate busy intersections and parking lots. Please advise your children on the dangers of using the app while in public."

So far, there have been a few reports around the country of a few minor injuries involving people running into trees or revolving doors while playing the game, which was released July 6, according to The Associated Press. And then there was the case in Wyoming of a 19-year-old woman who uncovered a dead body in a river while she was playing the game.

Like with texting and other cell phone-based activities, common sense is the order of the day when it comes to playing Pokémon Go without injuring yourself or others. A couple safety tips:

• Don't do it while driving, bicycling, crossing the street, mowing the lawn or other things that require your undivided attention.
• When playing in public, don't become so distracted what's happening on your phone that you don't know what's going on around you.

PHOTO: Pokémon Go on a cell phone camera. (Niantic)

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