In St. Augustine, Florida, a police officer recently responded to the kind of call you don’t typically train for. In this case, it’s something you just grow up with, apparently. A small but feisty alligator turned a backyard pool into its personal resort, and it wasn’t ready to check out.

Deputy Richardson from the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office arrived and calmly, almost conversationally, coaxed the gator out

Video from the scene shows the officer speaking quietly to the animal. He repeatedly “acknowledges” the gator’s frustration with soft “I knows” and “You’re so angry.”

One local watching the wrangling said what everyone in Florida already knew: The deputy obviously grew up here.

After safely wrestling the gator out of the water, the deputy did what every good Floridian would do: He buckled it into the back of his cruiser

Yes, really. The gator sat snug and secure in the department-issued vehicle as it was transported to a nearby pond for release, pool privileges officially revoked.

Social media lit up with admiration, not just for the wild situation, but for the officer’s compassion

CBS News commenters praised his gentleness. One noted that he made sure the gator’s tail didn’t get pinched in the door.

Others pointed out how calm and sweet his demeanor was, treating the animal not as a threat, but as a “confused local” needing a lift home.

In Florida, of course, wildlife encounters like this aren’t rare

Gators stroll across golf courses, peek into drive-thrus, and, yes, belly-flop into backyard pools. 

Animal control exists, but sometimes the first responder is a cop who treats a gator with more patience than a lot of drivers show in rush hour traffic.