EASTHAM – On Saturday, November 27, 2021, at approximately 12:50 PM, Officer Gregory Plante located an individual on foot in the Town Center Plaza Parking Lot, known to him as Mr. Dorian Firth. Officer Plante was in possession of a trespass notice that needed to be served to Mr. Firth, barring him from a nearby property in Eastham. Officer Plante exited his cruiser and initiated conversation with Mr. Firth. Mr. Firth instantly became uncooperative, agitated, and aggressive towards Officer Plante. Mr. Firth refused to produce identification or give his name so that Officer Plante could confirm his identity. Officer Plante radioed for backup to respond to his location. Officer Plante continued the conversation attempting to deescalate the situation and backpedaled away from Mr. Firth, attempting to avoid a physical confrontation. During this conversation, Mr. Firth became assaultive and struck Officer Plante in the face, producing minor injuries. A physical altercation ensued and Officer Plante, with the assistance of a nearby Good Samaritan, and Sergeant Mark Haley who arrived on scene as backup, was able to place Mr. Firth under arrest for the assault on Officer Plante. Mr. Firth was sprayed with pepper spray during the altercation. Mr. Firth was then transported to the Eastham Police Facility for booking.
During the booking process, Mr. Firth’s possessions, including a backpack, were searched for inventory and safety purposes. Located inside the backpack was a quantity of a powdery substance, wires, and other items consistent with the construction of explosive devices. The backpack and its contents were immediately removed from the building and both the Eastham Fire Department and Massachusetts State Police Bomb Squad were notified. The Eastham Fire Department assisted with securing the area around the backpack while the MA State Police Bomb Squad responded. Once on scene, the MA State Police Bomb Squad confirmed that the items located were consistent with the manufacturing of explosive devices and that the items needed to be control detonated to make them safe.
The items were transported by the MA State Police Bomb Squad to the Eastham Department of Public Works facility where they could be control detonated in a safe, sand pit area. The Eastham Police and Fire Departments assisted with securing the area to ensure safety for the public. The Eastham Fire Department then stood by with an engine, and the Orleans Fire Department with an ambulance, for safety precautions. At approximately 5:45 PM, the items were control detonated without incident.
Mr. Firth remains in custody at the Eastham Police Facility. His bail was set at $2000. He will be arraigned at the Orleans District Court House on Monday morning on charges stemming from the assault on Officer Plante, as well as additional charges regarding the possession of the explosive device. This investigation is ongoing and additional charges may be filed.
Officer Plante suffered minor injuries and remained on his shift.
Dorian Firth
Barnstable Police/CWN
CWN archives reveal this is not the first time Firth has been caught with explosive materials. On April 6th, CWN reported: “Barnstable Police report that on Tuesday at approximately 6:00 a.m., officers from the midnight Shift responded to a 119 Baxter Road in Hyannis for a report of a resident that had an explosive device on the premises. After moving everyone to safety, officers were able to identify an explosive device in the bedroom in question. After this discovery, the scene was frozen and a search warrant was applied for. A thorough joint investigation was then conducted in collaboration with the Massachusetts State Police Bomb Squad, MSP Detective Unit and the ATF. This investigation was supported by the Hyannis Fire Department and the Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office. Officers arrested Dorian Firth, 40. of Hyannis and charged him with one count of felony possession of incendiary materials and one count of felony possession of an incendiary device. After all evidentiary recording and sampling took place the remaining incendiary materials and device were detonated in a controlled environment by the Bomb Squad.”
