USATODAY

We'd like to (thank) the jurors in the grand jury in Staten Island for making decisions based on the facts that were presented. Not looking at just one snippet of a video that doesn't tell the whole story, but taking the time to listen to every bit of evidence. To listen to the testimony of every witness, including officer Daniel Pantaleo, and coming to the same decision, the just and right decision.

Officer Pantaleo is a resident of this great city. He's a resident of the borough of Staten Island. He lives in those neighborhoods. He's college educated, here in the city. He's a mature police officer who's motivated by serving the community. He literally is an Eagle Scout.

That story's not being told — a city resident, a New York City police officer, went out and did a difficult job there. A job where there is no script. And sometimes, with that, there's tragedy that comes.

There was a loss of life, and no one ever wants to lessen the fact that there was a loss of life. A loss of life of a man who lives in this city, a citizen, and a father and a husband. And that tragedy to that family is very serious, and we never ever lessen that. But it's also a tragedy that there's a police officer who has to live with that death.

We've heard a lot of conversations by the mayor of New York after this decision came down. But we did not hear that you cannot go out and break the law. We did not hear that you cannot resist arrest; that's a crime. We did not hear that that's why these officers were at that location that day, because the community called and complained and said there's a problem at that location and we were asked to respond.

We need to teach our children and everyone that you cannot resist arrest, even if you believe that the arrest is unjust. There's mechanisms to complain. It's not on that corner, on that street, at that location. You cannot resist arrest. That's a crime, and you will be placed under arrest. Police officers do not have the option to walk away. If the mayor wants to change policies and wants us to stand down against crime, then say that.

You cannot resist arrest because resisting arrest leads to confrontation. Confrontation leads to tragedy. That's the support we need. One hundred percent of our members are out there putting themselves at risk each and every day. They earned it. They deserve it.