Clearwater Police Protect And Serve Critters, Too: Video

CLEARWATER, FL — Clearwater police might want to consider changing its motto to "To Protect and Serve People And Critters."

Within the span of a week, police were called to capture an injured raccoon trapped in the engine of a Hyundai Elantra and rescue a stranded female manatee in the Intracoastal Waterway.

Fortunately, in both cases they received a lot of help from wildlife experts.

On Sept. 20, Clearwater police plunged into the water still wearing their uniforms to help the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Clearwater Marine Aquarium return a stranded female manatee back to the waters of the Intracoastal Waterway.

Five days later, police were summoned to the 700 block of Druid Road to help free an injured raccoon from the engine compartment of a Hyundai Elantra.

The SPCA of Tampa Bay was investigating a call in the area about an injured raccoon. When the SPCA wildlife worker tried to nab the critter, it fled to the nearest hiding space — the engine compartment of the car.

Clearwater police Sgt. Kevin Klein responded to the scene. Using his dog pole, he spent 15 minutes carefully coaxing the frightened raccoon from the engine compartment.

The raccoon was taken by the SPCA for medical treatment and is reportedly on the mend.