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CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) The chief of police who drew his weapon on a father who was wielding what the officer thought was an automatic rifle later told the man that he was lucky he complied with his instructions to drop the gun according to a story in the INFORUM.

Had the father not complied, Chief Fred Thompson later told Ross Powell, who was playing with air guns with his sons, he would have fired to protect the children, whom the chief didn’t realize were playing war games in their front yard.

The North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation reviewed the incident after Powell complained about Thompson’s actions in the Oct. 10 episode. Authorities concluded that no crimes were committed, and released their report to The Forum.

In an interview Wednesday, Thompson acknowledged that he did stop by a few days later to apologize to Powell. According to the report, Thompson told Powell that “it was a good thing you put the gun down and didn’t turn your shoulders towards me, otherwise I would’ve shot and killed you.”

Thompson, who said he was not interviewed for the report, said he did not see the orange tip on the gun Powell was holding, a mark to distinguish the AR-15 look-alike from a real firearm, but saw the man pointing the rifle at children.

The orange tip of the gun was hidden by a tree, Thompson said. Believing the children to be threatened, he said he acted properly by pointing his gun at Powell and ordering him to drop the gun. He said Powell didn’t immediately comply.

“I did tell him that it was fortunate he followed my instructions, because at first he did not,” Thompson said. “I was convinced at the time that it was a real weapon. Had he made the wrong move, I would have fired.”

Powell told investigators that he reported the incident because Thompson apparently didn’t call for backup, and if shots had been fired, it would have been his word against Thompson’s. Thompson told The Forum he did not call in the incident because the situation called for an immediate response to protect the kids.

“This all happened in seconds,” Thompson said, adding that he believes he acted properly.

Thompson, who became Valley City chief of police in 2012, had announced on Oct. 17 that he will resign in January. He has said his resignation has nothing to do with the incident. He previously served as a police officer in Henderson, Nev., for 29 years.

The incident sparked a proposal to disband the Valley City Police Department and merge it with the Barnes County Sheriff’s Office.

During an interview on KOVC Radio’s Voice of the Valley Bob Drake, a Valley City business owner who is leading the effort said the move is aimed at saving taxpayer money.

Drake said he expects to submit paperwork for the petition next week to the city auditor of Valley City.