Police officer wrestles 12-foot Burmese python into submission: Video

— -- A 12-and-a-half foot Burmese python was no match for the law Thursday night in Pembroke Pines, Florida.

Officer Joey Cabrera struggled singlehandedly with the massive reptile in a fight captured on video. Cabrera was victorious.

An off-duty United States Customs and Border Patrol officer had spotted the snake along a roadway and notified police. Cabrera was first at the scene and quickly managed to secure the reptile. Once backup units arrived, the snake was taken to a police substation where a licensed python removal contractor euthanized it.

On Friday, Pembroke Pines Police Department tweeted out a warning, “Snakes are not an uncommon sight to Floridians, but Burmese pythons are an invasive species & a real threat to local wildlife, pets, and even children. If you see a snake please do not approach it. If the snake is a danger to you or the surrounding area contact 911.”

Burmese pythons are not venomous, but they can bite people as well as wrap themselves around their prey to crush them.

Carol Lyn Parrish, the public information coordinator for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC), told ABC News that her agency “wants to engage the public to help in removing this invasive species and even offer classes to the public.”

FWC has an Exotic Species Hotline, 888-483-4681, that people can call if they’ve spotted a Burmese python.

ABC affiliate WPLG contributed to this report.