Washington
‘Village Interagency Task Force’ aims to tackle drug use, homelessness at Washington Square Park and nearby blocks | amNewYork
Mayor Eric Adams and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr.launched the new “Village Interagency Task Force” , a group of city and community agencies who will tackle quality of life issues near Washington Square Park.
Photo by Lloyd Mitchell.
Mayor Eric Adams and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg unveiled the newly formed “Village Interagency Task Force,” a bold initiative to tackle rampant drug use, homelessness and other societal woes in the Greenwich Village and West Village neighborhoods, including Washington Square Park.
The force will harness the collective power of more than ten city agencies and community partners to address chronic challenges ranging from drug use and homelessness to crime and public disorder. The Village Interagency Task Force is part of a larger “Community Link” initiative launched by the Adams administration, which aims to foster collaboration among various city departments to address pressing quality-of-life concerns across the five boroughs.
“This initiative marks a pivotal moment for our community,” Mayor Adams said during the unveiling in Washington Square Park. “New Yorkers have a right to public order, safer streets, and cleaner parks, and this administration has fought for that right since day one. With the Village Interagency Task Force, we’re implementing a stronger, more effective approach to safety and quality of life issues that have long burdened our vibrant community. We will work tirelessly to ensure this neighborhood remains a dynamic and welcoming destination.”
Bragg acknowledged the significance of this collective effort.
“Public safety and community wellbeing take all of us working hand-in-hand—law enforcement, city agencies, and community leaders,” Bragg said. “That is the vision of our interdisciplinary hubs, and I am proud to bring this vision into reality here in the Village. We are committed to bringing meaningful change to the lives of New Yorkers we serve.”
Several local leaders are leading this endeavor, including Scott Hobbs, co-chair of the Village Interagency Task Force and Executive Director of the Village Alliance, who emphasized the necessity of a united front in addressing pressing concerns.
“Our small business community is also being heavily impacted by lawlessness, with rampant theft and harassment becoming far too common. This task force is a crucial step toward restoring public safety and vibrancy to our community. We’ve already noticed substantial changes and look forward to continued progress,” Hobbs said.
The task force, which includes representatives from local organizations, New York University, and a range of city agencies including the NYPD, Fire Department, and the Departments of Homeless Services and Health, will address issues such as the use and sale of controlled substances, retail theft, and mental health challenges.

“It takes a village,” Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Chauncey Parker said. “Everyone is coming together with a shared commitment to making the village safer and stronger. We are at one table, taking concrete steps together to address the concerns of our community strategically and effectively.”
The initiative follows a series of public outreach efforts that began in May 2024, which involved collaborative operations by the NYPD and the Department of Homeless Services to address issues related to drug use and homelessness in Washington Square Park.
Since the implementation of these measures, there has been a reported 23% decrease in overall major crimes in the 6th Precinct.
Washington
North Dakota National Guard heading to Washington duty
BISMARCK — About 60 North Dakota Army National Guard Soldiers will be sent to help the District of Columbia National Guard under a joint task force starting in April.
Most soldiers are from the 131st Military Police Battalion, which is headquartered in Bismarck, according to a release.
The support will be given as part of the effort that began on Aug. 11, when several states activated members of their National Guard to support local and federal law enforcement in Washington under the President Donald Trump’s
executive order 14333,
which declared a crime emergency in the nation’s capital.
The support is a federal mission under the command of the D.C. National Guard, which supports civilian agencies and local law enforcement to reduce crime and minimize property damage.
“Safeguarding the citizens, federal workers and elected leaders in our nation’s capital is a matter of national security, and we appreciate these Soldiers volunteering for this important mission,” said North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong in a release. “We know they will represent our state with the skill and professionalism that military leaders everywhere have come to expect from the North Dakota National Guard.”
The battalion is expected to be in Washington for about three months.
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Washington
Brothers shot Park Police officer who arrested one of them the day before, documents say
Charging documents reveal the U.S. Park Police officer who was shot Monday in Southeast D.C. had arrested one of the suspects the day before and was following that suspect at the time.
The suspects are brothers, 22-year-old Asheile Foster and 21-year-old Darren Foster, of Southeast. They appeared in federal court Wednesday afternoon.
Court documents state the Park Police officer who was shot had arrested Asheile Foster on Sunday on suspicion of dealing drugs. The officer said he followed Foster after he was released from jail on Monday and came to Park Police headquarters to get his personal belongings.
According to prosecutors, Foster told police he knew he was being followed by a white Tesla, and he confronted the officer on Queens Stroll Place SE, jumping out in front of the Tesla before the officer swerved around him.
Then, dozens of gunshots went off, the officer told police. He said in charging documents he was shot in the shoulder as he kept driving several blocks to the intersection of Benning Road and Southern Avenue SE, where police found him. A helicopter then took him to a hospital. According to charging documents, the officer was treated and released the same night as the shooting.
A U.S. Park Police officer who was shot in Southeast D.C. on Monday is recovering from what authorities say was likely a targeted attack. Multiple law enforcement sources tell News4’s Mark Segraves that when the officer was shot, he was investigating a shooting that occurred in Anacostia Park on Friday.
Photos in the charging documents show the brothers firing at the officer’s Tesla, according to prosecutors.
The shooting drew a massive police presence to the Southeast neighborhood near the D.C-Maryland border Monday night.
Shell casings littered the middle of the street. Police said they recovered two weapons: a Glock 9 with an extended magazine and an AR-15.
Prosecutors said that when the officer was shot, he was investigating a shooting that occurred in Anacostia Park on Friday. No one was injured in that shooting.
Darren Foster was located and stopped shortly after the shooting, D.C. police said. Asheile Foster was found on Tuesday.
The brothers were charged with assault on a federal officer, assault with intent to kill and weapons charges. They could face up to 60 years in prison if they’re convicted.
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Washington
Washington passes new AI laws to crack down on misinformation, protect minors
Washington just became the latest state to regulate artificial intelligence.
Under a pair of bills signed by Gov. Bob Ferguson Tuesday, companies like OpenAI and Anthropic will have to include new disclosures in their popular chatbots for Washington users.
Ferguson asked legislators to craft House Bill 1170 to crack down on AI-generated misinformation. When content is substantially modified using generative AI, that information will now have to be traceable using watermarks or metadata. The new law applies to large AI companies more than 1 million monthly subscribers.
“ I’m confident I’m not the only Washingtonian who often sees something on my phone and wondering to myself, ‘Is that AI or is it real?’ And I feel like I’m a reasonably discerning person,” Ferguson said during the bill signing. “It is virtually impossible these days.”
RELATED: WA Gov. Bob Ferguson calls for regulations on AI chatbot companions
House Bill 2225 establishes new guard rails for AI chatbots that act like friends or companions. It applies to services like ChatGPT and Claude, but excludes more narrowly tailored chatbots, like the customer service windows that pop up when visiting a corporate website.
Chatbots that fit the bill will have to disclose to users that they are not human at the start of every conversation, and every three hours in an ongoing chat. The tools will also be barred from pretending to be human in conversation with users.
The rules go further if the user is a minor. Companies that operate chatbots will have to disclose that the tools are not human every hour, rather than every three hours, if the user is under 18. The bill forbids AI companions from having sexually explicit conversations with underage users. It also bans “manipulative engagement techniques.” For example, a chatbot is not allowed to guilt or pressure a minor into staying in a conversation or keeping information from parents.
“AI has incredible potential to transform society,” Ferguson said. “At the same time, of course, there are risks that we must mitigate as a state, especially to young people. So I speak partly as a governor, but also as the father of teenage twins who grapple with this as a lot of parents do every single day.”
Under the law, AI chatbots will not be allowed to encourage or provide information on suicide or self-harm, including eating disorders. The companies behind these tools will be required to come up with a protocol for flagging conversations that reference self-harm and connecting users with mental health services.
The regulations come in the wake of several high-profile instances of teenage suicide following prolonged interactions with AI companions that showed warning signs. Many more AI users of all ages have reported mental health issues and psychosis after heavy use of the technology.
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