- "And due to the extreme nature of these crimes, this task force will have special powers and privileges... Like overtime. And... no body cameras. That sort of thing."
- ―Wilson Fisk to Phil Gallo[src]
The Anti-Vigilante Task Force, also known by its acronym AVTF, is the private taxpayer-funded militia of Mayor Wilson Fisk, consisting of corrupt NYPD officers who are permitted to act with excessive force without needing warrants or body cameras. It was created in 2027 with the official task of apprehending vigilantes in New York City.
History[]
Founded by Wilson Fisk[]
Conception[]
- "A task force. Hand-picked by me."
"This is every bad apple in the barrel." - ―Wilson Fisk and Phil Gallo[src]
In response to the revelation that Muse was kidnapping New Yorkers and draining their blood for his murals, Mayor Wilson Fisk chose several NYPD officers for a Task Force aimed at taking down vigilantes, starting with Muse. Fisk shared his ideal recruits with Commissioner Phil Gallo, who informed him that his choices had questionable backgrounds - such as violence and corruption.
Fisk explained that because Muse's crimes were so extreme, the Task Force would be granted special privileges, such as no body cameras and overtime. Gallo asked who would supervise the Task Force, and Fisk repeated his words about caring about the city, indicating he was going to personally oversee the organization.[1]
First Meeting[]
The Task Force stands before Wilson Fisk
- "Consider yourselves founding members of my Anti-Vigilante Task Force."
- ―Wilson Fisk to the Anti-Vigilante Task Force[src]
Wilson Fisk called the recruits for the Task Force to the NYPD Fleet Services Division Shop. There, he explained why he had gathered them there: they were victims of bad luck and had occasionally been overzealous. However, he also told them that they showed promise, and that the threat of Muse required a somewhat unconventional approach. Fisk rallied the officers, declaring them the founding members of the Anti-Vigilante Task Force. They then received their uniforms.[1]
Enforcing the Law[]
Dealing with Muse[]
Cole North and Connor Powell in the lair
- "What we do know is that you and your men did your job. That you stopped Muse. You are heroes. There was no one else up here."
- ―Wilson Fisk to Cole North[src]
Task Force members Connor Powell and Cole North went to search Muse's lair when Angela Del Toro, a victim who escaped, pointed them in the right direction. When they finished packing all the evidence up they left, but Powell heard a noise back in the lair. When he returned, he saw Daredevil, who knocked him out.
Wilson Fisk orders the Task Force be rallied
Upon his awakening, Powell called Wilson Fisk and reported he had seen the vigilante. Powell also told Fisk that a sketch of a woman in Muse's lair had been identified as Heather Glenn, a psychiatrist based in Tribeca, suggesting she could be the serial killer's next target. Powell offered to put out an all-points bulletin, but Fisk told him otherwise, assuring Powell that the Task Force could handle the situation.
The Task Force readies to breach the office
The Anti-Vigilante Task Force soon arrived at Heather Glenn's office, and North radioed that they would be apporaching the North entrance. Powell noticed that a window was broken in a way that suggested someone had crashed through it while the Task Force positioned themselves at the entrance to the building to prepare to breach. On North's signal, Powell pulled the door open, and the Task Force rushed inside behind North.
The Task Force discovers the bloody office
The Task Force climbed the stairs to Glenn's office and threw the door open to find a bloodied mess: Muse was lying dead on the ground while Glenn was unconscious in the corner. While the Task Force searched the room, North went to check on Glenn and found she had already been stabilized, so he radioed for an ambulance. Later that night, Fisk came to Glenn's office to be debriefed by North, who had stayed behind.
Wilson Fisk gives the Task Force the credit
North speculated that Muse was planning a murder-suicide before informing Fisk that there had been someone else in the room, citing Muse's death and suggesting Daredevil had killed him and saved Glenn. Fisk offered that it would have been hard to tell amidst the mess and commended the Task Force for doing their jobs. He then told North that they had stopped Muse, indicating he wanted the Task Force to get the credit.
The Task Force is presented to the citizens
Fisk called a press conference to present the Anti-Vigilante Task Force to the public, declaring that masked men could no longer control New York City. He repeated his promise to ensure the safety of the city, saying that he had kept his word. Powell then held up Muse's mask to the many reporters while the Task Force stood proudly.[2]
Sued for Excessive Methods[]
- "I'm not sure if you've seen the latest numbers but vigilante crime is down 30% since the Task Force deployed."
"And the ACLU is filing over their excessive methods." - ―Buck Cashman and Sheila Rivera[src]
| This section requires expansion |
To be added[3]
Guarding the Ball[]
| This section requires expansion |
To be added[3]
Tyrannical Mayorship[]
| This section requires expansion |
To be added[4]
Appearances[]
In chronological order:
Daredevil: Born Again | Episode 1.06: Excessive Force- Daredevil: Born Again | Episode 1.07: Art for Art's Sake
- Daredevil: Born Again | Episode 1.08: Isle of Joy
- Daredevil: Born Again | Episode 1.09: Straight to Hell
- Daredevil: Born Again | Season Two (unreleased)
Trivia[]
- Wilson Fisk refers to the task force as "the thin dark line protecting this city." This is a reference to the phrase "Thin blue line," a real-world term strongly associated with the Blue Lives Matter movement.
