LIVERMORE FALLS – An officer with the Livermore Falls Police Department is being credited with persuading a suicidal man to surrender on Sunday afternoon after he held police at bay for more than three hours.

Livermore Falls Police Chief Ernest Steward Jr. said the man’s family called authorities at 1:15 p.m. to report that he had a weapon and threatened to harm himself. When officers arrived at the Route 17 residence, the 39-year-old man had barricaded himself inside the home with a gun and refused to come out. No one else was in the residence.

Nearly 20 officers from Livermore Falls, Jay and the Maine State Police responded to the scene. Steward said that one of his officers knew the man and was able to peacefully talk him into surrendering to police.

Steward declined to release the man’s name, saying that he was a victim due to his suicidal condition and that he was not being charged with anything criminal.

The man was moved to St. Mary’s Regional Hospital in Lewiston for evaluation.