Overview

• The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office published body-camera footage of the July 25 incident showing the deputy’s rapid response to a pool intruder in St. Augustine.
• Deputy Richardson first used a pool net to corral the young gator before grabbing it by the neck with his bare hands to subdue it on the pool deck.
• After calming the thrashing reptile, the deputy placed the alligator in his patrol car’s backseat and buckled it in for transport.
• He then drove the secured alligator to a pond away from homes and released it in accordance with state wildlife relocation guidelines.
• The widely shared video highlights coordinated protocols between local law enforcement and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to manage nuisance alligators and inform the public.