See Florida Police Office Capture 12-Foot Burmese Python

A police officer in Florida single-handedly captured a cold-blooded criminal.Officer Joseph [...]

By Allison Schonter

A police officer in Florida single-handedly captured a cold-blooded criminal.

Officer Joseph Cabrera of the Pembroke Pines Police Department responded to an emergency call on Thursday night after a 12-foot Burmese python was spotted along a roadway headed towards US-27.

"Last night Officer Cabrera responded to a call of a 12.5 foot Burmese python seen heading towards the Chapel Trail area near US-27 & Johnson St. Ofc Cabrera was able to secure the snake & safely transport it to the West PD until a licensed python remover arrived," the Pembroke Pines Police Department tweeted.

Footage of the incident shows Cabrera wrestling the snake with his bare hands until he was eventually able to secure it.

The python was then transported to the police department's headquarters, where a licensed python remover was called to collect the giant, but not before officers posed for a picture with the giant and issued a warning.

"Snakes are not an uncommon sight to Floridians, but Burmese pythons are an invasive species & a real threat to local wildlife, pets, and even children. If you see a snake please do not approach it. If the snake is a danger to you or the surrounding area contact 911."

The incident is not the first time that a giant snake has been wrangled in Florida.

During a December Burmese python hunt in the everglades, a massive 130-pound snake was discovered by Jason Leon. The hunt was an effort by the South Florida Water Management District's Python Elimination Program, which pays people to curb the population of the invasive species.

In October, video footage of a 9-foot snake being captured in Florida also made waves on social media.

Exotic snakes are not uncommon in Florida, as people oftentimes release them into the Everglades when they realize that they don't make the best pets. In 1992, when Hurricane Andrew hit the state, a Burmese python escaped its enclosure and made its way into the Everglades National Park, where it took to the wetlands and reproduced, ravaging the ecosystem.

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