Veteran Thomas Desirio urges committee to add Thin Blue Line flag to Ohio's list of protected flags

Thomas Desirio, identifying himself as a 100% disabled Gulf War veteran, told the Senate Government Oversight and Reform Committee he traveled to speak in support of changes under consideration in Senate Bill 202.

Desirio recounted the May 12, 2017, ambush and killing of his son, Chief Eric DeSario, who he said was shot in the head while responding to a nursing-home call. He said his son was 38, was married with five children, and that his wife was pregnant and gave birth 10 days after the shooting.

Desirio described receiving both an American flag and a Thin Blue Line flag at his son's funeral and said he had displayed a Thin Blue Line flag at home in remembrance. He told the committee he later received a letter from his homeowners association telling him the flag was "illegal" and that, after a lengthy court fight, a judge ordered him to take the flag down because of homeowners association rules and the applicable HOA law in the state of Ohio.

He said he contacted State Representative Kevin D. Miller to request adding the Thin Blue Line American flag to the state's list of protective flags and urged the committee to pass the bill so families could honor fallen first responders. "I display the blue thin line flag for the sole purpose of remembrance of my son," Desirio said. "I urge you to please add this flag to the list of flags that can be flown in the great state of Ohio."

Chair Susan Manchester thanked Desirio for his testimony and his service; no committee members asked questions. Chair Manchester also directed members to written proponent testimony from Tim Williams on behalf of the Ohio Manufactured Homes Association, which is available on members' iPads.