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McGruff the Crime Dog is not the only animal that can help fight crime. Officers received aid from an alligator while chasing and arresting a man who ran from a traffic stop, according to NBC News. The event sounds like a classic Florida tale yet it happened in Louisiana, another state famous for these reptiles.

State police heard reports of a Toyota Supra speeding on Interstate 10 west of New Orleans. Witnesses noted the car struck a concrete barrier and suffered a flat tire, a poor way to treat such an iconic vehicle. Troopers located the Supra on Interstate 310 in St. Charles Parish, per the New York Times, and conducted a stop. The driver, Victor Rivas, showed signs of impairment and fled when officers attempted to take him into custody.

People unfamiliar with southern Louisiana may not know that running from police is rarely simple. Land near many state highways is swampy, so roads sit on low bridges for long stretches. When Rivas escaped he jumped from the elevated roadway straight into the wetland filled with snakes, wild hogs, and alligators.

Down in the bayou

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Deputies refused to enter the swamp themselves because they knew the dangers inside. Luckily one of those dangers worked in their favor.

"That is when an alligator joined the law enforcement team and tried to persuade Rivas that giving up was wiser, yet he disagreed," the St. Charles Parish Sheriff's Office stated on Facebook. "Rivas was bitten by the alligator and hurt both arms." Even after the attack Rivas kept running. Deputies used drones to find him. He finally surrendered and received care for non-life-threatening wounds from the encounter. The office added, "The alligator was unharmed and returned to its usual patrol of the swamp."

The sheriff's office posted playful AI-generated images on Facebook showing Deputy Al E Gator. One image shows him receiving a Deputy of the Year award from Sheriff Greg Champagne "For Outstanding Service and Dedication."

Reminder: Do not drive impaired, do not flee from deputies, and never hide in Louisiana swamps. Wildlife may cooperate with law enforcement.

Deputy Al E Gator and his millions of fellow reptiles are on patrol. It is reassuring to know they are now helping rather than blocking roads or resting under planes.