Police

A police officer in Florida added "deliver" to the whole "serve and protect" motto ... 'cause he took a pizza the last few hundred feet to a house after an alligator in the driveway terrified the delivery driver.

The incident went down in Bradenton -- a suburb of Sarasota -- earlier this week ... when someone called the cops about a huge 8-foot-long alligator hanging out under a parked car in a residential neighborhood.

The responding officer -- identified by the department as Officer Tolson -- calls the Florida Fish and Wildlife department to remove the gator ... but, before they arrive, a pizza deliverywoman comes up -- with an order for the house with the gator in the driveway.

5:59 PM PT -- Wendy Williams and her niece, Alex Finnie, just got back from dinner and talked with photogs before going inside the Coterie ... with Wendy saying the police report drama is "unbelievable."

Wendy and Alex say it's weird the Coterie took issue with them going out to dinner when her guardian claims there are no restrictions on her movements and family visitors.

WW says the guardian is lying and she says tonight's events are proof she is being treated poorly.

So much for Wendy Williams being able to come and go as she pleases and spend time with her family ... because the facility where she is being housed has filed a police report claiming that her niece broke the law by taking her to dinner.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Wendy's niece, Alex Finnie, accompanied Wendy on Wednesday from the hospital where WW has been staying for a psychological evaluation back to the Coterie where Wendy has been living for the past 8 months.

After spending time with Wendy at the Coterie, Alex took her famous aunt to an Italian restaurant for dinner. According to sources connected to Wendy and her guardian, the Coterie called NYPD and filed a police report claiming Alex evaded staff by taking Wendy out of the building.

Tekashi 6ix9ine's Florida mansion was crawling with law enforcement Wednesday ... federal officers and local police raided his home -- and the rapper claims they seized firearms and drugs, though he says he's done nothing wrong.

Tekashi tells TMZ ... the feds and local cops rushed the house Wednesday morning and kept him in handcuffs from 9 AM to 3 PM while they searched the place.

6ix9ine says law enforcement took DNA samples from him and turned his house upside down in search of something. He says they confiscated guns and drugs and want to see if his DNA is on the items recovered.

A former Illinois police chief may want a refresher on the Miranda Rights ... 'cause he didn't exercise his right to remain silent -- instead choosing to berate the cops who arrested him for DUI in shocking body cam video.

Walter Klimek -- former chief of police in Bridgeview, a suburb of Chicago -- was arrested one afternoon in December in the nearby town of Justice ... and the footage from the road shows the moments leading up to cops slapping the cuffs on him.

Check out the clip ... it starts with Klimek refusing to get out of the car -- repeatedly screaming "Let me go" while in park -- as officers gather around the vehicle.

8:36 AM PT -- Maui Police Chief John Pelletier tells TMZ ... "I have no connections whatsoever to any individuals named in the lawsuit. The allegations suggesting his involvement are entirely unfounded. I am confident that the evidence will demonstrate these claims to be false and will expose those who are deliberately trying to manipulate the legal system to spread misleading narratives."

In 2018, while serving as a Captain in Las Vegas, I was honored by the Rape Crisis Center for his exceptional leadership and commitment to community safety, specifically through [my] role as a champion of the Stay S.A.F.E. program dedicated to sexual assault prevention.

These baseless allegations not only are wrong but also show a lack of respect for victims of abuse, whose voices deserve to be heard and supported with compassion and integrity.

Diddy's alleged sexual assaults were aided by Maui's Chief of Police ... this according to an amended lawsuit that also named NFL wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and influencer Druski as co-conspirators.

The desperate search for missing University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki in the Dominican Republic is ongoing -- and now, authorities in Virginia have zeroed-in on a person of interest.

Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Thomas Julia confirmed to TMZ that 24-year-old Joshua Riibe is a "person of interest" in Konanki’s disappearance -- surveillance video shows him as the last person seen with her before she disappeared.

We're told Riibe -- a former high school wrestler -- has been "interviewed at length," but Julia emphasized that, for now, this remains a missing-person case, not a criminal one.

11:47 AM PT -- Ginalisa Monterroso joined us on today's episode of TMZ Live, where she spoke with Harvey Levin & Elex Michaelson. Ginalisa explained that there are more tests to come, but Wendy is currently in a safe environment where she is protected, and not confined.

Wendy Williams is spilling details on the police escort and her hospital trip that ended with her acing two psych exams Monday -- and she even dished on the unexpected perk of getting some exercise while going scooter-free.

On "The Breakfast Club," Wendy was joined by her caregiver, Ginalisa Monterroso, who said she requested police to show up at the former talk show host's assisted-living facility, where she explained her situation and insisted they couldn’t leave without her.

Ginalisa said she pushed Wendy to request an independent medical evaluation while at the hospital, explaining it was a long and tough road ... especially since her living facility had initially sent a nurse to keep an eye on her, which Ginalisa refused.

A fishing vessel off the coast of Massachusetts made a shocking discovery while out in the water last week ... pulling up a dead body in their net -- and, TMZ has obtained a photo of the grisly scene.

A source with direct knowledge tells TMZ ... the fishermen pulled the body out of the water early Wednesday morning about forty miles from Boston.

We're told the crew wasn't pulling up much in the way of fish that morning ... and, they were surprised when this particular net was so heavy -- with tons of fish covering the body.

Detective Melissa Mercado -- the NYPD detective who went viral for appearing as a stripper in a raunchy music video -- has been taken off active sex crimes cases pending the results of a police review.

Law enforcement sources confirm to TMZ ... Melissa -- who is known as a good investigator -- isn't catching active cases in the Special Victims Unit, which looks into alleged sex crimes, while under review.

We're told police officials have to determine if she submitted off-duty paperwork ... documents every NYPD officer must file if they're working another job off the clock.

Gene Hackman died a full week after his wife Betsy Arakawa died and lived in the house as her body lay in the bathroom ... this according to New Mexico officials.

New Mexico officials concluded Betsy likely died February 11, and the cause of death was Hantavirus ... a serious and rare disease which can be fatal.

Gene died February 18. An autopsy revealed the 95-year-old had a history of cardiovascular disease, along with advanced Alzheimer's. He had a history of heart attacks and high blood pressure. Although the medical investigators did not use the words "heart attack," it seemed they were going in that direction, although the medical investigator said she could not squarely say that was the cause. They did say heart disease was the cause of death, and Alzheimer's was a significant contributing factor.

The Sheriff says it appears Betsy's body was in the house for a week while Gene lived in the same house until his death a week later. Investigators made it clear ... Gene was in poor health and the Alzheimer's may have created confusion, which could explain why he never called authorities.

S-Quire and Picture Perfect, the rapper and director behind the week's hottest rap music video, aren't celebrating the viral moment their video vixen turned out to be an NYPD detective ... she was such a pro, they hired her from a legit casting agency!!!

TMZ Hip Hop spoke to both artists about their "Doin That" video, now infamous for Detective Melissa Mercado's thong-twerking and pole-dancing moves inside a strip club rented out for the video.

S-Quire says having the "cop rap video" is not a tag he wants on his jacket and reveals the onscreen chemistry he and Mercado shared was simply showmanship ... which you can see in the BTS footage below.

Michael Lohan's recent arrest is leading to even more legal trouble, TMZ has learned ... 'cause now he has a warrant for his arrest out in Florida.

According to court documents ... an arrest warrant was issued last week after Lohan was arrested in Texas for allegedly assaulting his estranged wife, Kate Major.

The warrant relates to a case out in Palm Beach ... where Michael reportedly pled guilty to five counts of patient brokering back in 2022 for receiving commission for referring several patients to a particular rehab facility.

Detective Melissa Mercado, an NYPD officer with 7 years under her badge, is going viral for taking her uniform off ... in favor of a bra and G-string to dance as a video vixen stripper!!!

New York rapper S-Quire released his "Doin That" music video at the top of February, but his views catapulted this week once Det. Mercado was recognized.

The video, directed by Picture Perfect and distributed by WorldStarHipHop, immediately opens up to shots of the cop's cheeks as she twerks on stage in an empty bar as S-Quire raps about p-poppin' and pole dancin'!!!

The police investigation into the murders of rapper G$ Lil Ronnie and his 5-year-old daughter in the Fort Worth, Texas area has hit a major break ... cops say they know who is responsible, and they're calling the suspects straight-up punks!!!

The Forest Hill Police Department held a press conference Wednesday and identified Adonis Robinson and Jakobie Russell as the suspects -- Police Chief David Hernandez called them both cowards and "public enemies" ... and pointed out Robinson's sex-offender past.

The two Texas natives are said to be on the run, scared and afraid to face the music ... but Hernandez vowed police will catch them.

Bodybuilder Jodi Vance had been "throwing up all morning" just prior to her tragic death at 20 years old ... new 911 audio, obtained by TMZ Sports, reveals.

The call was placed by Vance's wife on Feb. 27 ... as she and her partner were staying at a hotel in Ohio while attending the Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus.

The woman told Columbus Police during the call that Vance was "passed out in bed" and would not get up. She added the weightlifter had been vomiting and groaning prior to her losing consciousness.

The cop who became something of an instant celebrity in his small New York town for arresting Justin Timberlake on suspicion of DWI last summer just landed an award of his own ... officer of the year!

Michael Arkinson of the Sag Harbor Police Department was bestowed the award by Chief Rob Drake in a recent ceremony ... where he praised the rookie for making "an immediate impact within the department and the community."

The chief also commended the rookie for leading the department in arrests and summonses ... one of which included taking JT into custody last June after a DWI stop.