In the wake of the city's largest police union advocating for a slowdown when NYPD officers make arrests, one of the department's highest-ranking officials warned that police officers should not hesitate.

NYPD Chief of Department Terence Monahan sat down with NY1 on Friday evening to send a message to officers and the community after Daniel Pantaleo was fired from the department for placing Eric Garner in a banned chokehold.

Police unions say many officers feel they don't have the backing of their bosses because of the firing.  Unions have encouraged officers not rush in to make arrests when people are resisting, and said officers should call their supervisors before putting handcuffs on people.

I asked Monahan what he told his officers about how to handle a possible volatile situation in which someone is not being cooperative.

"We're telling cops, if you're going to make an arrest, you don't slow down. You've made a decision. Someone's about to be arrested. They know you're going to arrest them. Don't hesitate if that guy starts to resist you. Because that guy could be resisting you so he could reach for a weapon, so he can do you harm," Monahan said. "So once that decision's made — 'I'm making an arrest' — you don't hesitate, you don't stand back. You have to go in and make that arrest."

Monahan also had this message for anyone thinking of resisting arrest or fighting with police:

"No one can resist arrest. If you think you're being unfairly arrested, well, you can take it up in court. That's what judges are for, that's what the prosecutor — that's what the whole judicial system is for. But that does not get handled out in the street," Monahan said. "If you resist that arrest, you're going to get charged with that charge. And if you assault a cop, you're going to get hit with that felony charge."

------

To watch the full interview, click on the video above.