NORTH KINGSTOWN — Supt. James M. Halley is accusing Channel 6 reporter Jim Hummel of assaulting him before the School Committee meeting Wednesday night.

Halley filed a complaint with the police Thursday alleging that Hummel, a senior reporter with ABC’s local affiliate, WLNE, struck him in the chest and tried to block him from entering the high school auditorium. The report was forwarded to Town Solicitor Terrence Simpson, who is expected to decide early next week what criminal charges, if any, grew out of the confrontation, Capt. Charles Brennan said.

Hummel said yesterday that his station’s general manager urged him not to speak about the incident because it is a criminal matter. As of early afternoon yesterday, he said he had not seen the complaint or been contacted by the police. “Until I do, I think it’s a little premature to comment,” he said, adding that, at this point, he did not intend to file his own report.

News clips show Hummel pursuing Halley with questions about a state Department of Education report that found the School Department misspent more than $245,000 of federal money over about 3 1/2 years. Halley has defended the spending, attributing it to a different philosophy about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act — a suggestion state educators dismiss.

In the segment aired for the first time Wednesday night, Halley appears to nudge Hummel as the newsman stands in front of the door to the auditorium where the School Committee is to meet. Hummel trails the superintendent inside as Halley says he will not speak with him, asking, “Dr. Halley, are we going to do this the easy way or the hard way?”

Halley, when he reaches the steps of the stage, looks at Hummel and accuses him of “creating an atmosphere of guilt by press.” Halley tells him he does not have permission to be in the building after Hummel follows him onto the stage.

Hummel has focused some of his “You Paid for It” investigations, which look at the misuse of taxpayer dollars, on school spending under the superintendent’s leadership.

In the complaint, Halley claims Hummel “jumped in front of him, bumping him and blocking his access to the door.” He says the newsman “put up his left forearm and pushed against him, striking his chest and arm area” while holding his foot to the bottom of the door to block his entrance.

In the report, Halley also tells the police that he “advised [Hummel] that he was not authorized to be on stage.” He said he wished to press charges, though he was not injured.

Halley was named Rhode Island School Superintendent of the Year last October, but has proven a divisive figure in the community. Some residents are calling for his suspension, or firing, following Tuesday’s release of the state report.

“In my opinion, I believe we have cause for firing him. We want to start the process,” April Brunelle, elected to the School Committee in November, said yesterday in reference to the report. “Now, we have no trust in the superintendent and his management of money.”

The School Committee is scheduled to meet in executive session at 7 p.m. Tuesday to discuss the state’s findings. The district has 30 days to respond and provide either proof of corrective actions or documents supporting its position.

Committee Chairman Douglas Roth said the district will appeal the findings to reduce the potential repayment. He refused yesterday to comment on Halley’s status, but said: “This report is serious. The findings are serious. These are very clearly management issues.”

Roth also criticized Hummel’s tactics: “There is a line that is understood and I felt that it was crossed.”

Halley declined to comment because of the ongoing police investigation.

kmulvane@projo.com