OLD HABITS DIE HARD

 By Sr. Agent Davis Madere

After a Region and Safety Meeting in May, I received a complaint of a live alligator at a residence in St. James Parish. Agent Jamie Folse and Cadet Aaron Hastings were near the area, so I contacted Agent Folse and they proceeded to the address given. While on my way to assist, Agent Folse let me know they had come in contact with a subject who was in possession of a live 5-foot alligator.

Upon arrival, Agent Folse advised me that the subject had given them consent to search his property and they found the alligator in an old chest freezer on the side of the house. We informed the subject that it was a violation to possess a live alligator without a permit and we would have to cite him for this offense. The subject began explaining that he was going to let it go and the only reason it was being held in captivity was to save it from being hit by a car. Now, to the average layperson, this story might hold water, but if you take into consideration this particular subject's record of wildlife violations, the scales definitely tip the other way. I and other agents, both retired and active, have had several dealings with him.

As Agent Folse wrote his citation, the subject, though not in his nature, at least from this Agent's experience, remained calm and cooperative. Either he had learned from other experiences of acting irrationally with law enforcement, or he realized that there were four of us and only one of him.

After citing the subject, Agent Folse and I brushed up on our gator roping skills and released the alligator into the swamps of St. James Parish.

Also assisting in the case was Cadet Winston Michel.