Police dress as firefighters to arrest NH man

**Terminator** · 03-05-09, 09:27 PM

NEWPORT, N.H. (AP) -- Police in Newport, N.H., say they dressed as firefighters to trick a man and arrest him after he pointed a shotgun at an officer. Police set off a fire alarm to evacuate an apartment building Tuesday night and arrested 34-year-old Matthew Miller when he opened his door.
Earlier, an officer knocked at Miller's door after neighbors complained he was playing loud music. Miller pointed a shotgun at the officer, who talked him into setting it down. But the officer backed off when he saw other weapons and a toddler in the apartment.
Officers returned dressed as firefighters to set off the fire alarm to draw Miller out of his apartment and avoid a standoff. Police say Miller is a convicted felon with a history of violence.

**Morris** · 03-05-09, 10:06 PM

Boy, that will set off the hoseheads.

**MacLean** · 03-05-09, 10:45 PM

Sounds like a darn creative way to not have to fire shots around the toddler.

Bravo!

**10-42Adam** · 03-05-09, 11:41 PM

Somebody definitely put their creative thinking skills to good use in that situation! Great job if you ask me...

**sweetpea** · 03-06-09, 12:26 AM

Now that was smart thinking, what a great safe way to get the guy.

**ex401mp** · 03-06-09, 12:34 AM

I like that. Good move on their part and the best part was that it worked and they all went home after that.

**Norm357** · 03-06-09, 02:29 AM

Everyone loves firemen!

**nsb22** · 03-06-09, 07:59 AM

Reminds me of the time the local swat team used our brush truck to go into the woods after a guy. Of course they put gear on and made it look like they were just taking water in to the perimiter guys. lol

**Rhino** · 03-06-09, 11:54 AM

Awesome job! Everyone loves a firefighter! Well, not everyone... anymore.

**Hondo** · 03-06-09, 12:06 PM

Excellent idea. That definately shows thinking outside the box!!! But I am sure the Fire Chief is going to complain. If we did that here I could easily see the Volunteer Fire Chief demand that the Supervisor be charged with making false alarms!!!!!

**Retdetsgt** · 03-06-09, 12:42 PM

Originally Posted by Hondo

Excellent idea. That definately shows thinking outside the box!!! But I am sure the Fire Chief is going to complain.

Yep. Great show of ingenuity. And yeah, someone will bitch about it, but no one got hurt. That's what's important.

**Captain America** · 03-06-09, 01:06 PM

Nice. We had a search warrant for a local crack house once that always had people standing out front. The warrant team all piled into the back of an ambulance and we were able to get close enough to take down all of the people in the front yard and kick the door with total surprise.

**lewisipso** · 03-06-09, 02:14 PM

Hahahahahaha!!! Excellent!

**Morris** · 03-07-09, 11:16 AM

Another site already has an article in which the hoseheads up there are up in arms over the tactic, saying it will lead to more harm to their people.

Take away police powers from the arson investigators and see how they like dem apples.

**Hondo** · 03-07-09, 11:33 AM

Originally Posted by Morris

Another site already has an article in which the hoseheads up there are up in arms over the tactic, saying it will lead to more harm to their people.

YEP!!! I knew the weed beaters would start bitchin'.

**Xiphos** · 03-07-09, 01:24 PM

There's a big bitch session about it. The local fire chief there consented and helped but the firefighter associations have their panties in a bunch about it. They're afraid it's going to make their job dangerous if people think they're cops.

I think it might be a problem if it is a frequent tactic. So far I haven't heard about any UPS drivers or pizza delivery guys being slain in confusion over them being cops and I know we've used those ruses in the past.

**Retdetsgt** · 03-07-09, 01:28 PM

Knock knock

Who is it?

Pizza delivery

I didn't order pizza

UPS

I didn't order anything from UPS either

Floral delivery

Oh, okay.....

"LAND SHARK"!