Florida cops 'hold down' 9-feet alligator spotted roaming freely, wrap duct tape around its mouth until rescuer arrives
TAMPA, FLORIDA: Police officers in Tampa, Florida, had an unusual encounter with a scaly suspect on Wednesday. The officers found a 9-foot alligator meandering through a neighborhood intersection at N Howard Ave & W Kathleen St around 1 am. The officers knew that leaving the alligator on the road could pose a significant threat to public safety so they decided to take action.
While waiting for an alligator trapper to arrive, two officers held down the large reptile while a third officer wrapped duct tape around its mouth. Phil Walters, an alligator trapper contracted with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Nuisance Alligator Program was called to assist.
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'If you had hit him in a small car, you'd be totaled'
He explained to WFLA that alligators like the one found by the officers can cause significant damage to vehicles if left to roam freely at night. "If you had hit him in a small car, you'd be totaled," Walters said. "If you were on a motorcycle, your body would probably be laying out in the street."
Walters added that he has been called to trap an increasing number of alligators, as mating season gets underway. The trapper warned that alligators could be found in unusual places such as underneath cars or even at people's front doors. "Winter's over; spring is here," he said.
'I guess there are some good ol' boys on the TPD'
Walters was surprised that the officers had managed to subdue the alligator before his arrival. He said that the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office typically handles rogue animals but the Tampa Police Department stepped in to help in this case. "I guess there are some good ol' boys on the TPD; they had that thing taken care of for me," Walters said. "And they did a great job."
The alligator measured 9 feet, 4 inches long, and was likely a male, according to Walters. It took four men to lift the bound animal into the back of a truck. The FWC leaves it up to the trapper to decide what to do with captured alligators. Many trappers opt to sell the animal for its skin and meat, while others relocate them.
The 'arrest'
When the officers approached the alligator, they treated it like any other suspect. Bodycam footage as shared by the Tampa Police department shows one officer telling his colleagues to "tape his front legs together … like behind his back like you're handcuffing him." Another officer adds, "Then you're gonna do the same thing with his back legs." The officers covered the alligator's eyes with a towel and taped its mouth, front legs, and hind legs together to immobilize it.