NEWPORT – Disguised as firefighters, police officers from several communities staged a phony building evacuation Tuesday to arrest a Newport man with a violent past, according to Newport police.

Matthew Miller, 34, of Sunapee Street, allegedly pointed a shotgun at a police officer's chest and face when the officer responded to a noise complaint at Miller's apartment around 10 p.m. Tuesday, police said.

The officer had knocked on Miller's door, and when he asked who was there, the officer responded, "Newport police," according to a news release.

The officer was alone and couldn't safely draw his weapon or react to the threat at the time, police said, other than to convince Miller to put his weapon on the floor. The officer then left, but not before taking note of several other weapons and a small child in the apartment.

The officer found no outstanding arrest warrants for Miller, but did uncover a violent, criminal past that included a felony conviction, making Miller's possession of a firearm illegal, police said.

Police obtained arrest and search warrants for Miller and his Sunapee Street residence and called in officers from Claremont, Sunapee and Goshen to help execute them.

The Newport Fire Department also was alerted in case medical care was needed.

"Police officers dressed as firefighters and using a fire truck entered the building and activated the fire alarm to evacuate residents in a safe manner so as not to bring attention to the pending arrest of Miller," Newport Police Chief David Hoyt said in a news release.

As residents evacuated the building, police officers saw Miller in his apartment window with a one-year-old child in his arms. When he opened his apartment door, the faux firefighters seized the child from his arms and took him into custody without incident, Hoyt said.

During a subsequent search of Miller's apartment, police allegedly found a shotgun, a pistol, rifle scopes, body armor, night vision equipment and other weapon accessories, according to police.

Miller was arraigned yesterday in Newport District Court on charges of criminal threatening and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He is being held at the Sullivan County House of Correction on $15,000 cash bail.