Boulder City police officers sometimes double as snake wranglers during warmer months.

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) -Duties listed for a Boulder City police officer position online include patrolling the community, monitoring traffic and other responsibilities, however we didn’t see anything about being a snake wrangler.

“When we get called for service, we get our snake tongs,” said Sergeant Craig Tomao.

Sgt. Tomao said officers sometimes step in to handle snake calls when animal control officers leaves for the day. He said some officers have snake tongs in their car, and will use either coolers or buckets when capturing and then return the snake to the wild.

Sgt. Tomao said snakes are on the move right now with warmer weather.

“Ninety percent of the time we go out there, it’s on a rattlesnake call,” Tomao said.

For that reason he said officers are especially careful and try to always have an avenue of escape.

“You have to be on your guard with the rattlesnake aspect of it. We just treat them all like they’re going to be poisonous,” Tomao said.

Sgt. Tomao said several officers received training a couple years ago on how to handle snakes. He said sometimes officer will encounter snakes that are six feet long.

“And the thicker the snake, the longer the snake, the heavier the snake, the more difficult it is to get them to do what you want them to do,” Tomao said.

Sgt. Tomao said most snakes are not overly aggressive to people and are safely returned to the wild. He urges people who call about snakes to keep an eye on them until police or animal control arrive so they know exactly where the snake is located.

He also said those calling should watch from a safe distance.

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