William Deforte (courtesy facebook.com)

“Two loaded handguns and some ammunition were seized from a UMass Dartmouth student Tuesday,” southcoasttoday.com reports. “The student, William Deforte, 32, of Clinton, Pa., [above] identified himself as a part-time police officer in Pennsylvania, according to campus police, who were alerted at 8:30 a.m. by several students who told police Deforte showed them the weapons.” So a bunch of students ratted-out a part-time cop (?) who showed them his guns. Nice guns—I mean firearms—too . . .

Deforte said the guns were service weapons, found by campus police during a search of his apartment and car while he was in class. Also seized was a quantity of unsecured ammunition, shotgun shells and .45-caliber, hollow-point ammunition, according to the complaint filed with Third District Court.

The handguns were a Wilson and a Kimber, both .45 caliber.

So Deforte faces a felony beef, plus living on campus without permission. His crime-fighting career is DOA and he’ll be lucky not to be “allowed” back into school. I wonder what would have happened if the school had discovered Deforte’s “arsenal” after a successful defensive gun use. The same thing, probably. ‘Cause . . .

UMass Dartmouth has been on edge much of the year following the Boston Marathon bombings in April, allegedly committed by a UMass Dartmouth student and his older brother.

I guess I’m strange. After discovering that my alma mater had nurtured a terrorist I’d want as many armed good guys on campus as possible.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

62 COMMENTS

  1. Moral of the story:don’t think with your dipstick.I’m a current college student and can imagine what “showing the weapons to students ” means. The college girls are hawt, but theyre not worth your career.Keep the iron on the QT and show off the Xbox, if you must.

    My first year on campus ,I almost ate a brandishing charge because some libtard chick from Baltimore thought my legally owned 92FS ,legally stored in the glovebox of my vehicle ,was a concern.No woman is worth divorce court or criminal charges.

    • Never underestimate the I.Q. sucking effect of a pretty blonde college student on a part time cop or any man for that matter. Just go to the gym and watch guys attempt to impress the cute treadmill girl by giving themselves a hernia.

    • I don’t know if you’re correct about these specific circumstances, but your scenario sounds very likely.

      • Nope; not the case at all. Lots of attractive girls on campus but I had an asthma diversion that demanded my full attention. You know, that hierarchy if needs thing.

  2. If I could buy a Wilson and a kimber I bet I would go to a more expensive school than Umass D. Just saying

    • Perhaps that is why he is goin there??? I know guys drivin higher end cars or rides with really expensive stuff added that go to community college cause they blew the college fund on rims and radios.

    • It’s not a cheap school, out of state tuition and fees (not including room and board) are $25K per year. I’m not saying it’s a good value.

    • Despite the bad apples and the over abundance of militarized police, alot of cops are actually the good guys.

      • but the point is, the terms are not synonymous.

        The goodness of a cop as an individual can vary. I would bet that most of them are at least as good as the average person, I’d even be willing to place them in the 75th percentile of goodness on average.

        One fact is inherent in the term “cop” when we think of them as a class: Cop means a servant of the state. As a class then, their goodness varies with the goodness of the state they serve.

    • He actually is a good guy. I’m friends with him. We met at the University of Pittsburgh years ago. Fortunately here LEO’s can carry on campus when they are off duty. Still need to work on letting students carry at Pitt (which is totally legal).

      • If you know him, then maybe you can answer the most important question this incident raises: how cute was the chick he was trying to impress? Was she worth a felony charge?

  4. “Deforte had been living without permission in the Cedar Dell dormitories, Fioravanti said.”

    What a chode? 32 year old showing off his Kimbers to the brahs while squatting? Not creepy at all.

    I wonder how many long braids of unused Magnum condoms they found tho?

    • Anybody who describes themselves as a “part-time cop” immediately raises my hackle alert from “annoying” to “so, you’re the dude driving around pretending to be a cop, ehh?”

    • I wasn’t squatting; I had my own place off campus. My roommate was a smoker and I had a sever asthma attack. I asked my friend if I may stay until my asthma subsided. It takes a few days at times. I had no interest in the girls ( though there was a lot of cuties floating around). I just wanted to breath normal and catch up with my law school work. My plan was to head back to PA from there after class and work, visit, and change up some clothes. It didn’t openly show my service weapons like an idiot. There was a long conversation about guns, police work and training inside my room.

    • Show ya how much sense our politicians and everyday people lack huh? Some of these people are so stupid its a wonder how they function without some there telling them what to do.

  7. How does one illegally live on campus? Staying in a dorm room without paying? An Apartment? How does this happen? Asshat award in 1…2…3…

    • Umass almost guaranteedly bans firearms on campus property,including residence halls.Hence the “illegal” description.

      FYI-30 year olds living on campus isn’t unusual.I myself am prior service Air Force,and because I was technically classified a sophomore I was required by university rules to live on campus.My 29 year old self (at the time) was forced to share a building with fresh high school grads.A surreal experience but hardly creepy.

      • Pretty sure there are no university rules requiring anyone to live on campus illegally. Was probably crashing with some hoe.

  8. Anyone who attempts to live like a college student at 32 is a major asshat. Which probably means he was drunk and waving his guns around, or otherwise being a total creeper and those calling the cops were probably completely justified.

    • Layne,
      I wasn’t living on campus. I was staying at a friends place so that I could recover from an asthma attack. My OFF CAMPUS roommate was a heavy smoker. I however am not. I don’t drink or party. Though I too find college girls amazingly pretty, my asthma was preventing me from enjoying any distraction. The other guys at the apartment knew I was a cop. Staying there was miserable but the air was clean. Just needed a few days to recover

  9. While I agree that It’s good to have stable minded people with fire-arms on a college campus, I’m not sure if you want to put a gun in the hands of a guy who just goes around showing it to people.

    • But in this case there are extenuating circumstances: he was trying to impress some 19-year-olds…

  10. I’ve gone for years carrying concealed in public venues with people who would be considered close aquaintances, (not friends) who never knew I was carrying.

  12. 1. Guy looks like a douche with the grey wifebeater and hair. No sympathy in my book.
    2. He’s a quasi-cop who shows people his “weapons”, again, no sympathy.
    3. Its Mass, the land of oppressing its own people since the Puritans kicked out Roger Williams.

    Enough said.

  13. Okay, I get it. The university administration is all squirrely about a couple of guns but it’s okay with harboring militant Muslims with pressure cookers.

  14. Guy made a mistake. When I absolutely must visit States that are not currently part of the United States of America, I don’t go armed. Just like I wouldn’t take a handgun to the U.K., Europe, or China.

  15. I find campus bans on handguns is be an almost de facto ban on the right to bear arms for many people, especially those who may not live on a college campus like myself. If I felt the need to travel with my handgun because an area I pass through or live in is dangerous, I can’t do it because one of my daily destinations is a gun free zone. If I was involved in a DGU and a police report was filed, there is a very good chance my school will put 2 and 2 together and figure out I have a firearm on campus illegally and I may be suspended. A person in America, especially one that has been proven to be competent with firearms, should not be forced through these rules to not be able to exercise their right because of fear of punishment.

    • Texas recently declared that a university cannot forbid firearms inside cars on their campus (obviously targeting texas tech, the only one trying to do exactly that). Which is a great idea in general, but also better than nothing when they won’t allow guns in on-campus housing.

  16. I’m currently a GI bill student, and did a group project about gun cleaning for a class the week Newtown happened. We used the school rifle range for the pictures, because it looked more professional than a house. The looks I got from professors while carrying a half dozen rifle cases across a parking lot, on campus, were priceless, if not an endorsement of concealed over open carry.

    HOWEVER, I don’t live on campus. Range that day was rifle only (actually, olympic-grade air rifles, mostly, impressive machines) so all the handgun pictures were done at home. Didn’t take any ammo, either, was there for pictures only. Also, never unboxed anything outside of the range.

  17. First, especially as a “part-time cop” he should know the laws. If I carried on a campus for my protection (and the protection of those around me) where the law considers it a felony the last thing I would do was show it to people.

    Second, at 32, living on campus illegally? What the hell? Listen, I will never deny wanting to get it on with young college girls, but he just took that shit to a whole other level.

  18. Shouldn’t he be covered by LEOSA even as a part time officer?

    I know a lot of people on TTAG are not a fan of the law, but regardless of personal opinion he should meet the criteria of “qualified law enforcement” under LEOSA and be good to carry.

    • Depends on his actual peace-officer status. Most states states only give part-time/reserve officers peace officer powers while on duty, so it entirely depends how the state/agency defines “Qualified Law Enforcement” and “On-Duty” vs “Off-Duty”. Some agencies take the stance that officers are on-duty 24/7 and mandate carry of weapons.

      LEOSA does not exempt you from Gun Free School Zone Act, only on duty status does.
      Here is Oklahoma, CLEET only gives reserve deputies peace officer status when on duty, not off duty. You are required to apply for a CLEET Firearms permit if you want to CCW off duty. In contrast, for full timers, you can CC with just your department creds if your agency does not prohibit it.

      Federal Agents for example are on-duty 24/7 and are exempt from almost every CCW law as long as their agency permits them to carry off duty. My old man worked in federal law enforcement for 20 years and during vacation could carry on airplanes, etc since policy allowed him to.

      • On-duty status determines LEOSA eligibility. Thus, as long as the person meets the definition of “qualified law enforcement officer” in an on-duty capacity, whether an officer is a full-time, part-time, or reserve peace officer is not relevant in determining whether a person is a “qualified law enforcement officer” under LEOSA. LEOSA’s definition of “qualified law enforcement officer” does not include a requirement that a person have law enforcement authority off-duty.

        • That being said, agency policy on off duty cary may vary, but he should still be covered under the law.

        • That is straight off wikipedia. It depends entirely on your agency and state laws if you are considered a “Qualified Law Enforcement Officer”. California does not consider your authority off duty for eligibility under LEOSA, but Oklahoma does. If you are currently covered under LEOSA, I suggest you read your agency briefing about it, you will find it is basically a Nation-Wide CCW with the same limitations as normal CCWs in regards to off limits places. The only real benefit is that you cannot be prosecuted for draconian carry laws like in NYC. There is a huge difference between carrying under your agencies statutory authority and carrying under LEOSA.

    • I can clarify, considering that I am “that” officer. Part-time merely means that I don’t work a 40 hour week. I am not a reserve or auxiliary officer. I have undergone the police academy and am FULLY sworn. I investigate, arrest, write citations etc… Reserve and auxiliary police do not exist in our department. In fact, I’m not really sure what those classifications are, or if they exist at all in Pennsylvania.
      I am also the firearms instructor for my department respectively.
      As for me living on campus; I was not. I had my own place. My roommate was a smoker. That smoke triggered an asthma attack that I couldn’t control. I asked my schoolmate if I may stay at his place (which he rarely used but paid for) for a couple of days do that I may settle my asthmatic condition. I knew that LEOSA covered me and knew that the Mass law exempted “law enforcement” from campus restrictions. MGL 269 sec 10 (j).
      I needed some relief for a few and with limited resources, used my network of school friends to help ( as anyone would have). I also did not waive my weapons around campus like some idiot!

  19. The definition of “qualified law enforcement officer” is not set by any state. It depends on the set of criteria found in the act itself. If you meet the criteria outlined in LEOSA you are covered. Regardless of what Oklahoma has to say about it.

  20. The issue is that most reserve/part timers do not meet the following condition unless under the supervision of a full-time commissioned officer……..

    “is authorized by law to engage in or supervise the prevention, detection, investigation, or prosecution of, or the incarceration of any person for, any violation of law, and has statutory powers of arrest”

    If that doesn’t explain things, I don’t know what will.

    • Where in LEOSA does it mention that it must be unsupervised? If you meet the criteria outlined in the law you are covered. It makes no distinction between “reserve” “auxiliary” “part time” or if you must be supervised or not.

      The actual act is pretty simple and self explanatory. Go read the actual text of the law and try to tell me where is says part timers arent included… There is some case law on this as well that I have seen although I can’t find it right now.

      So I forgot about the GFSZ, my bad.

  21. Greetings,
    I am that policeman. I am part time which means that the township graciously allowed me to work on weekends ( when available) and holidays so that I may have extra income for school. I was also the firearms instructor for the department.
    I was merely staying at a friends campus apt. For a few days.(I had my own place) My off campus roommate is a smoker and I had an asthma attack. I asked my friend from law school if I may stay there for a few days until I recover. The other guys who lived thereknew that I was a policeman for sometime. The Mass law said that ” law enforcement” was the only class of person allowed to carry on campus.

    • I wasn’t living in the dorms. Nor was I interested in the girls there!! I was staying for a few days at my colleagues grad suit. Why does everyone think it was because of the girls!!

        • Matt, I wish that I could say there was time for the ladies. Fact is, law school sucks up any free time that you may “think” you have. I just needed my buddy’s place to recover from an asthma attack. No more no less. I was simply using the resources that I had available to me in order to survive.

Comments are closed.