We all expect police officers to know their way around a set of handcuffs and be adept at apprehending suspects. However, seeing a deputy wrangle an alligator is far more impressive. One Florida deputy made it look easy and has the body cam footage to prove it.
St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office posted the video feed to Facebook. Police “responded to help remove an unexpected guest from a backyard pool in St. Augustine!” the post reads. “The alligator wasn’t happy its pool time was over or about the ride in the patrol car, but it was buckled in and safely relocated to a nearby pond by Deputy Richardson.”
The video opens with Deputy Richardson wasting no time fishing an alligator from a family pool. He grabs it around the neck and quickly restrains the creature as it tries to escape across the poolside. “I know you’re super mad,” he tells the alligator, as he effortlessly picks it up around the shoulders and tail end.
As he turns to the homeowners, one says, “Ooh, wow! Obviously, you grew up here.” Richardson replies, “Yeah. Well, I’ll load him up in the back of my car. And I’ll take him to a pond that doesn’t have any residential.” A man lets the deputy out via a side gate as a woman says, “Florida grown at its finest!”
The Florida Deputy Strapped The Alligator Into The Back Seat
Removing the alligator from the pool was a challenge, but getting it in the car provided its own problems. Fortunately, it appears the deputy has done this before. The alligator’s mouth is secured shut, and Richardson delicately places the creature across the back seats. “Y’know what? Let me buckle you in,” he tells his passenger before closing the door.
The Sheriff’s office post quickly garnered over 11k likes and 650k views, although comments are disabled.
Earlier this month, authorities in Massachusetts rescued a water monitor lizard. The elusive creature, lovingly known as ‘Goose’, was an illegal pet and managed to evade authorities for over three weeks. Animal control captured him on Sunday, and a non-profit animal sanctuary took him in.