Alabama officers wrangle alligator found hiding in homeowner's garage: 'Got his mouth shut'
Police officer who was once a game warden knew how to 'detain' the reptile
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A group of officers in Alabama apparently had their hands full while "arresting" a creature that crawled into a resident's garage.
The Gulf Shores Police Department received an animal complaint from the homeowner, who discovered a large alligator sitting under his workbench, according to the department's Facebook post, which was shared on April 17.
Officer William Phillips has been with the Gulf Shores Police Department for five years and has never received a call quite like this, he told Fox News Digital.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Philips said he was thankful his background as a game warden with the Department of Conservation prepared him for the moment.
Five officers, including the team supervisor, arrived on the scene to capture the alligator.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A group of five officers from the Gulf Shores Police Department received a call from a local resident who reported that a six-foot-long alligator was lurking under a workbench in his garage. (Gulf Shores Police Department )
Two community service officers were also part of the team and assisted with animal control, Phillips added.
One of the officers present was in training — which made for an eventful day for the newbie.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Please welcome Officer Gabe Trujillo to GSPD. He is pictured giving the thumbs up. He was thrilled to have the opportunity to meet with the alligator," officers with the Gulf Shores Police Department captioned the post.
"Please welcome Officer Gabe Trujillo to GSPD. He is pictured giving the thumbs up. He was thrilled to have the opportunity to meet with the alligator," the police department's Facebook post said. (Gulf Shores Police Department )
Phillips estimated the size of the alligator to be about six feet in length.
Although grabbing hold of a reptile of this size could be a challenge, Phillips and the team were able to wrangle it safely.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}HUGE 3-LEGGED ALLIGATOR WEIGHING 1.2K POUNDS WRANGLED IN TEXAS NEIGHBORHOOD
"The hard part is getting to where you can get on top of them and get his mouth shut," Phillips said.
One officer was able to control the alligator's neck and another officer shut the mouth, while Phillips jumped on the alligator's back.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The team of officers worked together to "detain" the reptile by grabbing hold of its neck and body before taping its mouth closed with painter's tape. (Gulf Shores Police Department )
Phillips' partner then grabbed some painter's tape to help close the gator's mouth shut, Phillips said, noting that stronger electrical tape is usually preferred.
"We got his mouth shut, and then the next thing is getting his arms, his front legs — I guess you could say detained — because they can lunge about two thirds of their body length," Phillips said.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Once the team wrangled the gator, the local game warden for the county was brought in to relocate and release the animal.
Even though this was a first for some officers on the team, they did not hesitate to jump in and do what needed to be done, Phillips said.
Officer Phillips noted that it's courtship season for alligators — which means the males are very territorial at this time. It's best to call a professional if you encounter one. (Gulf Shores Police Department)
April is considered to be the courtship period for alligators, while May and June are the official months for mating season, Phillips also said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Gators are "extremely territorial" in April, he said, and it is best to steer clear if you come in contact with one.
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"Just leave it to the professionals. Don't try to be a hero," he added.
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