An online video shows a jittery police officer who’s afraid of snakes using a trash can to try to catch one at the University of Central Florida.
Carl Metzger, the deputy chief of the university’s police department, calls the video humorous.
He added that the incident, which occurred earlier this month on the Orlando campus, is a result of ophidiophobia — the fear of snakes.
Metzger tells local news outlets everyone got a good laugh but it’s ‘obvious that that particular officer is uncomfortable with snakes.’
A University of Central Florida police officer had a tough time trying to force a tiny snake back outside after it somehow found its way into a building
With a garbage can in hand, the officer tried to trap the slithering creature (pictured bottom right). The officer screamed: ‘Oh s***!.’ He proceeded: ‘Hang on, hang on, hang on, hang on, hang on, hang on, holy s***’
The video shows the officer jumping around, trash can in hand, trying to capture the elusive black snake.
The video opens with the snake in another room, as the officer prepares to capture it by placing a trash can over its slithering form.
But the tiny snake is too swift and enters the room to much fanfare.
‘Oh s***,’ the officer screams. He proceeds to say ‘hang on’ six times before bellowing: ‘Holy s***!’
The assembled crowd of six or so individuals screams as the officer implores someone to go open the door to the outside world, where the snake will be free to roam once more.
But the snake nestles behind a trash can, which prompts a flurry of expletives from the frightened police officer.
Finally, the snake somehow slithers out of the building.
The officer says: ‘Yeah.’ The assembled individuals clap.
The officer and other individuals in the building are pictured rejoicing after the snake left the building
Metzger says the officer, whose name wasn’t released, did his best ‘and ultimately accomplished his mission’ of getting the snake out of the building.
The University of Central Florida Police Department uploaded the video to Facebook on Friday, September 22. It has accumulated more than 25,000 views.
They wrote: #FridayFunny: We catch bad guys, not snakes. Even our officers get a little scared sometimes.’