Police protest game

Costa Mesa police are circulating an e-mail throughout the department, encouraging people to petition against a videogame in which players kill police officers.

The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund started a campaign in January to ask that parents do not buy or allow their children to access “25 to Life,” a game manufactured by Eidos.

The game is encouraging exactly what police are trying to work against: violence, gang activity and drugs, said Costa Mesa Sgt. Marty Carver.

“It just desensitizes the youth to what we’re trying to overcome,” Carver said.

The game offers a scenario in which players choose between being a law enforcement officer or a criminal.

The game allows people to play roles and shoot police officers, gang members, and use humans as shields, according to the officers memorial fund website.

Newport Beach Police Sgt. Bill Hartford said Thursday that he hadn’t seen the e-mail or heard about the online petition against the game.

“My question would be to that company: Do you truly believe you’re benefiting our community’s youth with the product that you’re offering our young adults?” Hartford said.

Efforts to reach Eidos representatives were unsuccessful.

It’s been proven that people who practice shooting in video games actually learn to become better shooters in real life, Carver said.

In the last 10 years, 70 police officers have been killed by teenagers under 18, according to the memorial fund’s website.

As far as people buying and playing the game, there’s not too much police can do. It’s up to parents what their kids are watching or playing at home, Carver said.

“It’s really more of a parent’s decision,” Carver said. “We don’t really set their moral standards.”