Watch this Florida officer from New York respond to his first alligator call

USA Today

13-06-2025

Watch this Florida officer from New York respond to his first alligator call
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See this officer's hilarious first encounter with a (small) gator
This former New Yorker squealed and shook as he was handed a wiggling animal during his first gator call as a Florida cop.
A Florida police officer from New York found himself squealing and bolting away as he responded to his first alligator call this month.
Police in Largo shared a video of the encounter, as Officer Christopher Martinez, from Long Island, tried to work up the courage to hold the alligator.
'While most of our team handled it like … seasoned pros, one of our newer officers from New York experienced his very first run-in with a gator and it showed,' the Largo Police Department wrote. 'Let's just say there was some jumping and maybe some squealing.'
After colleagues snapped a photo of Martinez with the gator, he handed the animal back over, sending the gator's tail flapping.
'Ahhh, oh God!' Martinez yelled as he ran away and colleagues burst into laughter. Watch the encounter in the video at the top of the story.
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Florida officer's first alligator call
Martinez is a police officer in Largo, Florida, about 4½ miles southeast of Clearwater. He first joined the Largo Police Department in November 2024, a department spokesperson confirmed to USA TODAY.
Around 5 p.m. on June 5, a homeowner called police for help removing the gator from their property, the spokesperson said. It was Martinez's first alligator call, the department said.
In the video the department captured, Martinez couldn't help but notice how intimidating the animal looked.
'You have big teeth. I have tiny fingers,' he said before pretending to throw up or dry-heave.
'Do not drop the gator'
Martinez then mentally prepared himself to hold the gator, checking to make sure the gator's handler would take the reptile back once he overcame his fear and held the animal.
As Martinez tried to hype himself up, the officer holding the alligator made sure he knew the rules.
'Do not drop the gator,' the officer said. 'I will drop you if you drop the gator.'
His colleague noted that the gator was 'hissing a little bit,' to which Martinez replied 'Oh, that's great.'
Welcome to Florida
As his colleague stepped forward to hand him the gator, Martinez had to set a boundary.
'Let me do it on my own,' he said, smiling timidly and noting that the alligator whose mouth was taped shut had 'so much bite force.'
As a fellow officer handed him the gator, Martinez tried to balance the panic that washed over him with the bravery he needed for the photo op.
'Take a picture. Take a picture of me, for the love of God.'
Police joked that no officers were harmed during the ordeal and the gator has since been safely relocated to Taylor Lake.
'Officer Martinez, our NY transplant, received his official welcome to Florida,' they wrote.
Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Email her at [e-mail].