Police ‘arrest’ alligator near Buccaneers stadium

It’s probably not too uncommon for police to arrest a human being near Raymond James Stadium for public intoxication or trespassing.

It’s perhaps a little less common for police to “arrest” an alligator for being too close to the home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

According to the Associated Press, Tampa police officers were called after a 9-foot alligator was seen walking down a street close to the football stadium.

As officers approached the wild animal, it whipped its tail, as seen on a bodycam video released by the Tampa Police Department. The officers then fashioned a noose from rope and proceeded to lasso the gator’s mouth shut. Then, they jumped on it, weighing it down so that they could cover its eyes and “handcuff” its legs.

Phil Walters, an alligator trapper contracted with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Nuisance Alligator Program, thought that the officers did exactly what they needed to do.

“And they did a great job,” Walters told Tampa’s WFLA. “They had that thing taken care of for me.”

Walters also added some helpful tips for anyone who encounters a gator.

“Being aware of your surroundings will keep you out of trouble, because that alligator, if you had hit him in a small car, you’d be totaled,” Walters explained. “If you were on a motorcycle, your body would probably be laying out in the street.”

[AP, WFLA]