Former Police Chief Charged for Carrying Weapons at UMass Dartmouth
NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass. — Police have charged a University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth law student with felony weapons charges stemming from an incident where the suspect allegedly showed his guns openly on campus.
William DeForte is a former police chief for the Worthington Borough. After students alerted campus police about DeForte’s weapons, security personnel seized two loaded semi-automatic pistols, including ammunition, WPXI.com reports.
DeForte claims the incident was a misunderstanding, as he believes that the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act, passed by Congress in 2004, covers him. LEOSA states that any qualified law enforcement officer can carry concealed weapons in any U.S. jurisdiction.
In the meantime, the university has issued DeForte an interim suspension and a no trespass order. He is not allowed on campus until the court decides the outcome of the charges.
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