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Police chief recounts early-morning May 13 incident; officers to be publicly recognized after review
Summary
Decorah Police Chief Hein summarized a May 13 response where officers disarmed and restrained a man who produced a gun-like object (later identified as a pellet gun); the department intends a public recognition after county attorney review.
Police Chief Hein told the council that on May 13 officers responded in the early morning to a call about a man walking on Water Street acting suspiciously and possibly armed. Officers made contact and, within seconds of initiating conversation, the subject drew a weapon. Chief Hein said officers were able to take control quickly, the firearm hit the sidewalk and was later determined to be a pellet gun, and the subject was handcuffed and taken to a safe place.
Chief Hein described the sequence: officers arrived at about 02:36 a.m.; within roughly 13 seconds of first contact the situation escalated and the physical struggle lasted about 35 seconds. He emphasized training and restraint in the officers’ response and said the department aims to prioritize recovery and post-incident support for staff; he observed that such incidents “do not leave any participant unscathed.”
The chief said the department will hold a public recognition ceremony for the officers once the case has been resolved through the county attorney’s office. He also reminded the council and public that replica and pellet-style firearms can appear and function like real handguns and are treated as such during police contacts.
No disciplinary or criminal outcomes were announced at the meeting; the chief framed the report as an informational briefing and a recognition plan pending legal review.
