Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie threw cold water on talk of legislation that would charge thugs with a felony for drenching cops with buckets of water.

Outraged Republican state lawmakers introduced the bill late last month following a series of dousing incidents of NYPD officers in Harlem, The Bronx and Queens.

But Heastie (D-Bronx) said Wednesday that boosting criminal penalties and putting more offenders in prison for dousing is punitive.

“Police officers should be respected, no one should be dousing them with water, particularly when they are in the midst of doing their jobs,” Heastie said at an event just outside Albany.

“But I don’t know if always proposing new penalties and laws [is the answer] . . . I think on the positive end, we should continue to try and establish more of a community and police response. I think that’s more beneficial instead of always saying, ‘We are going to lock people up.’ ”

Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis (R-SI), who backs the measure, accused Heastie of siding with criminals over cops.

“Now is the time for New Yorkers to stand with law enforcement and not turn our backs on them by ignoring the blatant disrespect by anarchists,” ­Malliotakis said.

“You can’t say you support the NYPD and then stop this bill from a vote. Now’s the time for Speaker Heastie to back up words with action,” Malliotakis added.

State Conservative Party chairman Jerry Kassar, a former Assembly staffer, said Heastie was sending the wrong message.

“There’s a ramping up of attacks against law enforcement across the country,” said Kassar.

He said there is a “disconnect” between the Assembly Democratic leadership’s view of “wanting to enforce fewer and fewer laws” and cops “who want keep communities liveable and safe.”

“Democratic members of the Assembly think the police are not in sync with minority communities. That perception is just wrong.” Kassar said.

The measure was introduced by Assemblyman Mike LiPetri (R-LI) and Sen. Michael Reilly (R-SI). Senate Minority Leader John Flanagan (R-LI) is on board.

Gov. Cuomo on Monday called video showing officers walking away from the water-bucket attacks “disturbing” and “embarrassing” because it makes cops look “impotent.”

But he declined to comment on the anti-water dousing bill.

Senate Majority Leader Andrea-Stewart Cousins (D-Yonkers) also declined to comment.