Is a War Memorial or Cemetery an Appropriate Place to Play Pokémon GO? Danbury Says 'NO!'

DANBURY, CT — While Pokémon GO is sweeping the nation, reports are coming in of players not respecting the somber environment of where game developers have placed some PokéStops. Mayor Mark Boughton told The News Times Wednesday that players are flocking to The Danbury War Memorial and The Rose Garden to "catch 'em all" and that he has received several complaints.

A surprising number of PokéStops have been placed in locations that don't seem appropriate from graveyards to monuments, including an angel monument in the cemetery near Danbury Hospital.

Det. Lt. Christian Carroccio of the Danbury Police Department said, "While the Pokémon GO craze has gone viral across the world, with many injuries and unusual incidents being reported, Danbury has only luckily had a small handful of complaints."

The Danbury Police Department offers the following tips to stay safe:

1. Don’t play the game alone. Have another person with you to help keep a look out for potential dangers. Dangers can not only be your immediate landscape surroundings, but strangers who may try and lure the player to a secluded location.

2. Stay in areas you are familiar with and don’t trespass on private party. Respect other peoples privacy. We do not consider playing Pokémon GO to be appropriate decorum on cemetery and memorial grounds.

3. Never play Pokémon GO while operating a motor vehicle. Under Connecticut’s cell phone and texting law, violations involve heavy fines, ranging from $150 for a first offense, $300 for a second violation, and $500 for each subsequent violation.

To request removal of a PokéStop in your area, click here.

Image via Flickr Creative Commons