Canadian authorities ordered at least three military police officers to play the hugely popular game Pokemon Go in Canadian bases across the country after overenthusiastic players breached the facilities in their quest to catch Pokemons.
Launched in 2016, Pokemon Go is a phenomenon across the globe and fans of the game have even invaded restricted army areas to catch the virtual characters.
The rising number of fans being apprehended from certain military bases has forced the Canadian military to train its officers in the game. Canadian public television channel CBC has obtained internal documents that confirm these claims.
“Please advise the Commissionaires that apparently Fort Frontenac is both a PokeGym and a PokeStop,” wrote Major Jeff Monaghan at Canadian Forces Base Kingston.
“I will be completely honest in that I have no idea what that is,” he added.
CBC obtained nearly 500 pags of military documents under an access to information request.
Military police officers were ordered to wander around army facilities with their smartphones and notebooks to search for virtual Pokemon characters and infrastructure.
“We should almost hire a 12-year-old to help us out with this,” wrote security expert David Levenick at CFB Borden in Ontario.
A woman was caught playing Pokemon Go at the entrance of thebase while her three children were climbing over army tanks.
A man separately arrested at CFB Borden explained he was just collecting points playing Pokemon Go and told officers: “I have to beat my kids.” Shortly after the release of Pokemon Go, the armed forces even had to issue a public notice warning players not to venture onto military bases.
When Pokemon Go frenzy reached its height the military issued a public notice to players not to venture onto military bases.
PNN