Full Notification

Are you a Pokémon GO player or parent of one? Here are some tips from the Santa Barbara Police Department to help you and your loved ones safely enjoy community-based augmented reality games like Pokémon GO that require players to use their mobile devices to explore public places. Recently in Santa Barbara a late-night Pokémon GO player returned to his vehicle to find a stranger in it, and there have been reports from around the country of players having accidents, trespassing, and being the victims of crime.

1. Don’t walk into the street while looking at your mobile device and be aware of your surroundings while you play – traffic is dangerous and fixed objects hurt when you walk into them.

2. Do not drive while playing – distracted driving is dangerous and against the law. Likewise, don’t ride your bike or skate while playing.

3. Avoid the temptation to go into areas, like dark alleys, that you would not normally feel comfortable exploring.

4. When searching at night stay in well-lit areas.

5. Stay off of private property, including train tracks, and obey the posted regulations and closure times for public areas.

6. Do not sneak around police stations, fire stations, or emergency vehicles – your activity may appear suspicious.

7. Be respectful of others – do not disrupt businesses or interrupt public gatherings.

8. Play with a companion – there is safety in numbers.

9. Parents – tell your kids about stranger danger and set limits on where they are allowed to go.

10. If you suspect that you are being followed or find yourself in a bad situation, go to a safe place and use your phone to call 9-1-1.