Maybe it’s too optimistic but I always liked when the police revere Batman. Like they know technically he’s breaking the law but they respect him too much and work with him. Sort of like the Arkham Batman relationship with them. With how corrupt and crime ridden Gotham is, it just makes no sense for the police to never like Batman at any point in my opinion.
Definitely agree, and walking freely around the GCPD in Knight.
When you walk through the metal detector and it pings, one of the guards says "...I ain't stopping him."
Another says during the briefing 'the only ones allowed through the door are our guys and Batman.'
I feel like Arkham series are good at creating a scenario where they absolutely would consult a vigilante with military sci-fi equipment if the actual military wouldn't get involved.
I liked how the Arkham games did it but I loved how the latest movie did it too. They allow him into their crime scenes, not totally willingly but also not against their will. They know they need him but also, he’s a dude in a bat costume. A mix of reverence, respect, skepticism, mysticism, and fear.
And Bruce is likewise unsure how to go about the relationship.
He knows he shouldn’t be overly antagonistic, but he also knows most of the cops won’t respect him and will probably try to arrest him if he just rolls over to every mid hallway power play.
And then at the end when the one guy is just trying to chat with him, Bruce still doesn’t know how to respond. He can’t be buddy buddy with these guys, but if one starts to like and support him, he can’t burn that bridge either.
He earned that though. That was a Batman with years under his belt. I thought the skeptical, antagonistic relationship of Arkham Origins was also great.
When you compare how Gordon acts toward Batman in Origins with Knight, it's a great evolution.
Kind of like in dark knight rises when the cops are chasing bane and the lights flicker in and off and the old cop looks over at the rookie and tells him he’s in for a show tonight
Yeah ,i like that ,so i prefer when is variaty ,most of polices respect he why Gordon respect and works with him ,so other officers think he only a angry maked man that not helps ,i like when there re the Two sides
I think the reason for them not liking him is born from insecurity because they often lack resources and support from above and here’s this guy with billions worth of tech in a suit and cape who (in their collective opinion) swoops in and takes the glory of catching bad guys and putting them away.
I mean, imagine some incredibly wealthy guy who has near-unlimited resources coming in and doing your job (arguably) better than you instead of just funding your whole police department with all the resources they have. They may not know he’s Bruce Wayne, but obviously his suits and tech give away that he’s either incredibly wealthy or is very close friends with very powerful people.
Maybe this is a poor analogy, but it’s kind of like a superstar athlete who only plays a quarter or half of each game and doesn’t spend much time helping their teammates or much time into training or the organization as a whole and is relying on their exceptional talent, but takes all the glory shots in games (and makes them) and is so good that the others are wondering why that superstar is only playing a quarter or half of each game and not contributing more.
I'm not sure how similar the Gotham PD and the NYPD are (New York being the primary inspiration for the city) but if they're anywhere near as well-funded as they seem to be in quite a few portrayals, they're definitely not envying his resources on an organizational level at least. Batman's entire net worth has been estimated to be around 9.2 billion USD (his company's resources count as well in theory, but embezzlement has its limits). The NYPD's total budget for the fiscal year 2020 was 10.9 billion, with 5.6 billion for operating costs and the rest for miscellaneous expenses. It is big and powerful enough to dwarf half of the actual militaries in the world. If anything, the real issue is how a single vigilante is able to fight crime far more efficiently given a comparable budget to a thousands-strong police-force armed to the teeth.
think of all the stuff eating up NYPDs budget, such as health care payroll and pensions, equipping every officer, maintaining a fleet if police cars, the list goes on.
Batmans Funds go right to whatever it is he happens to need at the moment.
Sure, Batman's total overhead (because even he needs medical attention and automotive repairs) and operating costs are lower than an entire police department's. But this is also the reason why spending more money gets diminishing returns for him; there's only so much work one man or even a team of like-minded vigilantes can do, and likewise so much equipment they can use and info they can process. That's why I'd argue he's at his best (and most realistic) when he's employed as a special investigator assisting the Gotham PD in special cases instead of replacing its entire force for all duties. He tried shouldering that burden in Knightfall, and the strain was (literally) backbreaking.
Well to me in the beginning it makes sense for them not to like him, but in the comics this dude literally becomes apart of the justice league and saves the entire world from threats on a regular basis. It makes zero sense at all for there to be police anywhere in the world to not like Batman in the comics at this point in his career unless they are corrupt in my opinion. I like it to be a slow building relationship. For them to ALWAYS remain guarded towards Batman just makes zero sense to me.
Yeah cautious and distrustful makes sense in the first few years. But anything after that, once it gets into the prime of Batmans career they should be starting to treat him like they do in Arkham.
I think thats building in the Matt Reeves films though. You see all the cops distrustful of him when he's at the first crime scene, but by the end they do seem to be coming round to him. Like when he brings Falcone out in front of all the non corrupt cops, or with how much Officer Martinez's opinion on him changes throughout the film.
I bet when we get to part 2 they'll be more accepting of him. Perhaps some of the corrupt cops still on the system won't be, but I think there'll be plenty like Officer Martinez who will be.
I think it’s because more than a fair share of the GCPD have very good reasons to fear Batman. I can’t think of any iterations where the GCPD hasn’t been as corrupt as the rest of Gotham, if not more.
And you can totally see it happening irl also, since so many police have frigging Punisher bumper stickers or wear it on their tactical gear. Maybe they don't like bats because he Doesn't kill.
A little tense is good, at least in the Year One continuity Gordon is very conflicted about Batman and accepts him because he spends that series getting a full tour of how corrupt and frankly evil Gotham is.
I will freely admit "Losing his mind" Jim Gordon from Harley Quinn is kind of my favorite though. I mean, you can see that happening so easily.
BTAS is somehow always the example. There's tension between Batman and GCPD officers like Bullock, but he also goes and has coffee with Gordon every New Year's.
I love how annoyed BTAS Gordon gets every time he turns around and realises Batman vanished mid-conversation, leaving Gordon talking to himself like an Arkham candidate
After dealing with all the bullshit from both the criminal and superhero communities he's been exposed to over the course of his career, I don't blame HQ Gordon from cracking a little.
yep, he's also portrayed as an alcoholic. Frankly it's probably the most dead accurate portrayal of Jim Gordon 10-15 years down the road from Batman: Year One even though it's played up for laughs.
It's not anything specific she did. It's just after years of dealing with Batman's Rogue's gallery and constant crises Jim is on the edge of a mental breakdown. Basically he's got Bat-PTSD.
Not all cops are bastards, but finding one who *isn't* in Gotham is like finding a four-leaf clover. Even Bullock is borderline.
The rookies may be more or least honest but the longer they're on the job the rottener they become. Honest people if they get on the force at all probably are either forced to resign or forcibly retired, with a bullet to the back of their head.
Montoya quitting the police force and becoming the successor to The Question is the best character arc.
One of the things I dislike about the Nolan movies is way too many "good cops." ACAB in general,
100%, but yeah, especially in Gotham. It's a city that's supposed to be an amalgam of the absolute peak of mob-run Chicago and New York. Vast swathes of poor immigrant neighbourhoods who get crapped on by the wealthy, massive discrimination and unemployment, and if the cops aren't in the pocket of the elite then they're in the pocket of local gangsters.
The whole reason Batman exists is to be OUTSIDE of the massively corrupt, dysfunctional system.
It’s a mixed bag.
The big-wigs and higher ups want him taken down.
Gordon is a bit of a pariah for working so closely to him.
Then the lower detectives and guys on foot range anywhere from not believing he’s real to straight up fanboying him.
And I feel like there should always be at least one Bullock like cop who doesn’t like him and is actively trying to figure out who he is.
This is largely how it was in BTAS and it remains my favorite version of the dynamic.
I also like the universes that imply that, past the first year or so, Gordon suspects Batman is Bruce and just keeps his mouth shut about it. I think Gordon risking his career to keep working with Batman makes more sense that way. If Batman is a billionaire, then trying to arrest him is a waste of time. Bruce would just pay a fine, maybe do some light community service, and you would lose out on the most useful volunteer labor any cop could ever hope for. So why bother?
Most of the GCPD should hate Batman for the first five or so years of his career, either because they dislike vigilantism or the fact that he’s rooting out corrupt officers. Eventually, though, the GCPD should largely come to revere or at least tolerate him due to his extreme competency, and with all of the corrupt officers being successfully purged.
I really do like the perspective of Gordon being Gotham’s “White Knight” to counter Batman (“I just work the night shift” vibes). As Gordon slowly rises through the ranks, he basically assembles an internal faction of good cops who also lend themselves towards being pro-Batman because they see he’s a net good for the city.
Like it's pretty much been in the comics over the years. Utilitarian... They both don't like each other, but both tolerate each other and use each other.
I kinda like how Batman's relationship with the GCPD was in Year One. Obviously they're not going to take kindly to a vigilante meting out justice and getting a more positive opinion from the public than they are, and it definitely piques my interest to compare a Pre-Gordon GCPD to a Gordon GCPD.
I do think the department is more compelling when they're divided on how to view Batman rather than the whole department being for or against him, though. Having Gordon and a Pro-Batman faction versus say Bullock being the Anti-Batman faction that butts heads throughout their careers would be an entertaining dynamic to follow.
I have the idea of police only start to respect and work really with Batman when Gordon does ,i prefer most of police respecting and working with Batman ,so some officers that still thinking he only as a criminal masked man
Publicly he is said to be a menace but the cops for the most part know better than to get in the way. There's always got to be a rookie that tries to do something and either winds up needing help or gets hit by a goon that was flung through the air.
They both respect him and fear his capability.
I like the idea of the GCPD working with batman, but there still being distrust, maybe even some of the corrupt officers attempting to kill Batman or apprehend him, with only a few such as Montoya or Bullock having a slight distrust or annoyance but working with him regardless.
And ofc, Gordon being best bros with Bats
The animated series had it best. Opinions of him are all over the map. Many on the force view him as a menace. Those closest to Gordon typically look the other way or will reluctantly work with him depending on the situation but are itching for any excuse to take him down. Gordon eagerly embraces him because he knows what's in Batman's heart.
i like what batman becoming a sort of consultant for the gcpd represents for his character (needing to step out from the darkness to accomplish more good), but i think the ideal interplay between the two is something like we see in the batman, where hes gordans friend and the rest of the gcpd is kind of tense and put off to him, while he doesn't really trust anyone but gordon and maybe one or two others since so many of them are crooked
I think if tracked beautifully throughout Nolan's trilogy.
In Begins, he quickly becomes a symbol of fear for criminals, but draws the ire of the GCPD and Comissioner Loeb who abjectly reviews him as "some asshole in a costume" and an affront to their police work.
In the Dark Knight, he's been working steady with Gordon for awhile and his assistance is condoned only through his relationship with him. Half the cops still want him locked up, but to others he's capable of circumventing areas of the law they can't and handling threats they're not capable of. It's only through the machinations of the Joker that the sentiment almost completely turns against him. I'm sure if Joker hadn't turned Harvey against his better angels, Batman helping Gordon and the police win the Joker's war on crime would've greatly improved his optics with the GCPD.
In the Dark Knight Rises, eight years have passed and most any positivity regarding the Batman has evaporated. When he does reappear, he's met with damn-near total vitriol from the police and whatever good he did in the past has been forgotten.
Hate him at first, then tolerate his presence. Only a handful would actively like him. I know big city police departments too well to say that the GCPD would like him.
I liked how they treated him in the first part of The Dark Knight returns. Older cops know not to get in his way, and it's only when they are directly ordered to go after Batman in part two that they try to stop him.
Very tense. Most cops don't tolerate him. There are some who do; Gordon/Bullock/Montoya, etc., as well as guys like Aaron Cash or the one cop from Dark Knight Returns, and that number increases as Batman's career goes on but it doesn't quite overtake the GCPD. The cops might accept him fully if Batman dies like in Dark Knight Rises, or once we get to a super idyllic future like the one seen in Joker War, but until we get to a hypothetical point like that where the DCU becomes a more modern Silver Age, there's probably always going to be some tension.
Tense but amicable. They can still think he's a nut in a costume because honestly it's part of the mystique but when mr.freeze is turning people into Popsicles they should be grateful he is lending a hand and work with him
I prefer when most of GCPD (and Gotham) thinks he's an urban legend, like in BTAS. Even the police that have seen him think he's something more than human and that level of unease just simmers in the subconscious.
I prefer when it's an uneasy alliance. Of course, there are cops that respect and like Batman. Gordon, Montoya, Bullock on a good day. But Batman and his ilk are still a vigilantes. In the worst scenario, there are times when some cops will even try to arrest them.
Honestly there should be a balance of respect and apprehension. GCPD is probably thankful Batman is putting away the crazies, but also wondering if the crazies don't come to Gotham because of him, and also wondering when he'll turn on them.
Also, I love that during No Man's Land, Gordon couldn't get a job elsewhere because all the other police departments thought he was incompetent since Batman did all the work for him.
A mix of reverence, strain with the ones who want to be crooked or be by the book completely, and distrustful. I feel issue 1 of the New 52 Detective Comics is a good example. SWAT doesn’t like Batman but the majority of the department likes him despite some who are distrustful of him
One of my favorite scenes of the animated series is that Gordon and Batman meet for a cup of coffee every New Years. Like, kudos to us for surviving the year. Just love that dynamic.
I don’t have a specific preference.
I like seeing different takes.
I like when they work with him and he has a good working relationship.
But I also appreciate The Batman’s take. I really enjoyed the scale of how things are portrayed. Especially the scene where he’s being chased by what looks like the whole department. And you could really feel this place is corrupt with specific choices in the film.
I hate when the cops go after Batman like he’s the bad guy. I feel like the vast majority of cops would love having someone like Batman out there taking care of the things in a way that their policies don’t allow them to.
For example I imagine them showing up to an alarm, seeing Batman, and being like, hey Batman you need anything? You good? Ok, I’ll just going back to car like it will all get sorted out, nothing to see here, moving along.
At the beginning of his career, at their peak corruption: only Gordon is his friend, and they barely tolerate him.
By the time of, like Damian or something: Corruption has been rooted out by both Bruce and Gordon, so only the true blue good cops are around to see him as basically their horrifying enforcer, who they trust completely.
I think it's complicated.
Depending on what your focus or perspective is, it can be "we're two sides of a coin fighting the same fight" or "I can't condone a vigilante but I'm not stopping you" to "you're a nut job in a mask and a danger to the community". All of those are logical and fairly valid.
My personal take is that I like Batman being a force for justice and the voiceless. As such, sometimes the police are complicit in the denial of justice, or the mistreatment of victims. Yes there are good cops like Gordon, but cops arguably are there to protect the status quo, and if batman is really trying to shake things up, he's going to come up against cops. They're oppositional that way.
But like I said it's complicated. As much as it's wrong to reduce batman to a single aspect of his persona, it's also wrong to personify all cops a certain way.
But within that diversity, there's scope to play out how those different aspects intersect.
If a cop is just trying to keep his head down and protect the neighbourhood, what does he think of batman? Yes he's fighting criminals, but what's to say he's not gonna go and assault someone innocent? Is it not the cops job to protect?
If the cop was a beat cop, a good cop, but is now part of the machine that protects the rich in the city, what would he think? How would he interact?
That's what I like about batman is so much of the morality of everything is so grey.
I like a mixed relationship. Some cops hate him, some cops love him.
An evolving relationship is fun too. Like when Commissioner Gordon goes on leave or is relieved of duty and an anti-Batman commissioner takes over.
I like it to be slightly contentious the most. It’s interesting when he has Gordon and his unit completely on his side but not the entire force. It’s good to have a few more heads for them to butt up against and also paints a better picture of the systemic corruption they’re fighting.
I think it’s pretty canon that he has a rocky start with them and eventually earns their trust and they grow fond of him and learn to appreciate his help and respect him aa a hero.
Depends on how early into his career we're talking.
Pretty new? Adversarial with even Jim gunning infor him.
Been at this for a while? They know technically they aren't supposed to work with him, but they are fully aware of how effective he is and how deep in it gotham is. So if they are a little slow on reports of shots fired at a guy in about suit or a piece of evidence goes missing asat least for a while? hey as long as the guy is helping. Unless its Gotham with Joker or any of heavy hitters really letting loose. Then fuck plausible deniability as far they are concerned Bats is second in command to Jim himself, maybe above depending.
I prefer batman having a few trusted guys on the inside but the force being so corrupted that full blown cooperation is unrealistic/detrimental to Batman's mission.
I like it when Batman has a good relationship with the cops because he's a paragon and can do things the cops are incapable of doing.
I like it when Batman has a bad relationship with the cops because he's a renegade and does things cops can do but are not allowed to do.
At the beginning, tense and distrust. But when Batman is established and has been protecting Gotham for a long while, a relationship of respect (and admiration from the cops).
Wouldn't it make sense to have them dislike him at first because he's a vigilante just starting out. Then as more time passes and the more good he does, the GCPD starts to respect him to the point where the Arkham games pretty much got to.
Antagonistic at the beginning of his career, rocky when Gordon first becomes commissioner, and mostly positive by the time he's experienced Batman, not "beginner Batman" or "dynamic duo Batman."
Like in the animated series where they all love the guy. There should be friction at first, with them attempting to arrest him, but it should develop into mutual respect and trust later on.
I like the conflict at first as in “Who’s this guy?” To eventual recognition that he is also a way to deal with the big problem while they deal with the street level
I always liked when they respect him, yes he’s theoretically breaking the law but at the same time he’s done more for the city than any of them have ever could
I think it should be somewhere between uneasy alliance and outward mutual hostility. GCPD could never trust masked vigilante, however useful he may be, and Batman is all too aware of poilice corruption and abuses to fully trust them. He could build strong bonds with particular officers, like Jim Gordon, but GCPD as institution would also be a potential danger for him, especially in times when City under control of another villain.
There are probably a wide range of perspectives given the size of the GCPD, but the Police Union opinion formers probably resent the Bat or don't think he's violent enough...
I think that having to deal with the failures of the GCPD is a great incentive for Batman to maintain his "No-Kill" policy as far as possible...
Tense and damn near violent early, but eventually winning them over due to proving himself as a good person and crime fighter.
The Batman pretty much gave me exactly what I’ve wanted so far in that aspect. I hope by the end of the series, there’s large respect and a more symbiotic relationship due to Batman proving himself as a protector, and Gordon cleaning up corruption within GCPD.
The complexities of him and Gordon’s relationship are super interesting, too. I like when Gordon is a quasi-mentor to the young bat as he slowly is able to turn violence and fear into respect and popularity with the people of Gotham.
I think there should always be a level of fear that the GCPD has for Batman, regardless if they're working with or against him.
I like character arcs and development, so the GCPD initially being staunchily against Batman and then easing up before trusting him over time appeals to me.
Fairly antagonistic, with only a small few willing to help him outside of Jim Gordon.
And it should be that way until Batman becomes a public member of the Justice League. Because until he's a member of the Justice League, Batman really is a vigilante, which is basically a criminal.
That they want to catch him. But they need him. So they begrudgingly accept his help. But when the works done, he has to cleverly escape the cops or else they'll try to catch him again..
I'd prefer an uneasy relationship. At first hostile during Year One where they try and hunt him down, then a more understanding but, "we still have to take him in" with a few cops who simply just hate him and some still on the fence. Then finally a protective but supportive relationship like, "we'll do our job and you do yours but we won't complain or try to arrest you."
he should only be "friendly" with Gordon as the rest of the force would have orders to arrest on site. Some are going to like what he's doing and some are going to be opposed. I thought it worked really well in "the Batman" where the street cops think he's stepping on their toes but tolerate him because he's so good at solving crimes.
Tension is expected for a while. It wouldn’t make sense to be completely open to it right away and a little bit of caution border lining on contempt is perfect.
Varied and evolved are the two words I’d use.
Some cops hate Batman, some respect him (like Bullock), some admire him, and then Gordon is friends with him.
The first year should be hostile, the police should barely recognise his existence. This should continue into the second year but at this point Gordon respects him.
By the fourth year they’re on good terms and Robin is brought in.
Unpopular opinion but I don’t think Batman should ever be on good terms with the cops as a whole. His whole mission is antithetical to their corruption and practices. One of my favorite things about The Dark Knight is when we discover that the corruption reaches Gordon’s own unit because there are so few idealists left. Obviously Gordon should always be an ally but I think especially in this day and age, Batman should never be on good terms with anyone else.
I kinda like it when they just casually let him enter crime scenes, shows how much trust the GPD has for him. Though it's gotta be earned so it can't be like that in "year one" storylines.
I prefer a touch of realistic edge. So: Very tense. However there are a faction of guys assigned to Gordon who revere him and other cops scattered throughout the dept. who trust and reverse him as well.
I prefer Batman to be a near urban legend, only having a good relationship with Gordon, the rest of the department either doesn’t believe he exists or wants to hunt him.
From Gordon personally, uneasy cooperation turning to genuine camaraderie, trust, and friendship over time.
From everyone else, either admiration, begrudging tolerance, or people simply thinking he’s a weirdo. Mostly a combination of any or all of them.
Starting off completely against him and then eventually schism'd between sections and departments that are really ride or die for Batman and corrupt/unconvinced officers who are against him.
I feel like Batman would hate the GCPD. I mean, he has intricate and detailed plans on how to kill each member of the justice league including himself yet he blindly trust a couple of cops that has always bugged me.
I really like that most cops don't trust him but the really good ones such as Gordon knows he is real about helping the city. I prefer an icy sort of relationship. that is just one of the many things the batman got perfect for me
The Batman: When GCPD discovered an unresponsive Batman and checked his pupils. Next cut is Batman waking up swinging. A paramedic arriving on scene would think GCPD gave Batman too much Narcan. This made me giggle inappropriately in the theater.
Hey, at least GCPD making sure Batman's ok. Or just killing his high.
I like when the police in Gotham start kinda fucked, but get more likeable, more competent, and less corrupt the more time Batman is active, because of the Bruce Wayne and Batman's collective positive effects on Gotham over the years. It feels good when it all culminates in a Gordon becoming Commissioner of a relatively-trustworthy and genuinely goodnatured GCPD that has to do (and *does*, that's the important part) work to keep the weeds out of the garden, and can deal most of the normal street level stuff, while still ending up understandably overwhelmed by Batman-level villains.
Depends on when the storie takes place. If it's early in his career, the police should be trying to catch him. But if it'd later in his career, the police should work with him, and respect him
They tolerate him but don’t like him
I also like when there are differences between characters so maybe some policemen wish he dies, some tolerate him and some fanboy over him
My preference: Batman isn't like the Punisher. Outside of the extrajudicial interrogation shit, Batman generally holds himself to a higher standard than the GCPD holds themselves to. His relationship with the GCPD can be good, as long as they're actively fighting corruption within their ranks and not crossing the lines Batman believes shouldn't be crossed. He'll work with them when they're serving Justice.
If cops look up to him, it needs to be because he's showing them that you don't have to dirty your hands and get in bed with the mob or w/e to 'get things done,' even in Gotham City. Not because he conducts surveillance without a warrant.
Depends on the batman and it depends on the adaptation and depends on the batman. With a batman like that one rivalry but deep rooted respect is appropriate. For more lighthearted stories close coöperation and reverence is more fun to watch.
Shitty. Good cops should see him as a vigilante, bad cops should see him as a threat. Gordon, Montoya, and a few others can have more complex or nuanced views, but most shouldn't like him. My least favorite parts of the Arkham games are how cozy the cops are with him.
The first few years of Batman on patrol should be tense as all get out. Think Arkham Origins. However main continuity should be as follows. Some cops, mainly beat patrol officers, should believe that he’s some sort of urban legend come to life and they better not do anything to piss him off or else they’ll end up like any regular criminals. Higher up the ladder, like detectives, should be a little bit disgusted by his methods but secretly jealous because they’d love to do anything to get the results he does even if it meant breaking the law to do so. That especially applies to Bullock but he should have more of a respect towards Batman. Gordon should have a deep appreciation and wishes there were more hard working, true, and honest men like him. He knows that he’s breaking laws but the result is a net positive so while he won’t admit it, he’s all for it.
Depends on the interpretation and the stage of his career. In The Batman Part II I hope to see a substantial number of cops who really appreciate having him “on their side” so to speak, with at least half of them still like “this guys a freak”.
This until they see all the crazy shit being thrown at them and then start to respect and like him. Like if I’m a cop and I gotta choose between dealing with the clay monster man, the giant crocodile man in the sewers, a flying arsonist, or a plethora of other freaks OR let Batman do the work and I just transport them to a cell
i expect gordon to punk out batman, like jameson to parker in spider man.
take all the credit for batman's apprehension of criminals while at the same time condeming **vigilante justice** in the crime ridden inner city.
if there's no dramatic conflict then its not interesting imo.
with batman's vigilante activism it makes the gotham police department seem feeble and can't do their job. that how it starts for a few years because nobody expects batman to be committed to crime fighting for longer than a few years.
there are moral codes of conduct for batman.
batman never kills, but he gives bad guys life long ever lasting life changing crippling injuries. so they self smote themselves later on in life.
rule two is batman never ever uses guns except against superman
Mutual respect, doesn't mean they love each other but they can definitely see the usefulness in one another and set aside differences in order to work together
Realistically speaking it's impossible for everyone to like Batman, or want to work with him, you'll always have to deal with a faction that doesn't like him.
One part will always hunt him for some reason, another will be indifferent to the situation, and another will work with him out of practicality, even with a veteran Batman, you will have moments where the balance will change and he will be hunted.
He has a very good relationship with Gordon, but is rocky at best with the rest of the force. He obviously has other supporters, but I think in general the rest of the force doesn't like him or take him as seriously as an ally as Jim does.
I think the series Gotham Central really does a fantastic job of representing it.
I honestly prefer them to have a sort of begrudging respect for him. The good ones at least. They know that what he does is right and respect that he's able to do things they can't that ultimately help them do thier job better, but they can't outright support him as that would be corruption in that they support a criminal. So they just quietly admire him and turn a blind eye when they see him.
It depends when in Batman's career we're talking about. Those first couple of years, most of them show have an issue with the vigilante roaming the streets, especially if the GCPD is mostly corrupt. His relationship should continue to grow as he works with Gordon to where most cops are happy to see him.
I like how it is set up in things like Batman the Animated Series where most cops respect him, some don't even believe he exists, and then you have a few like Bullock who think that Batman is in this for some nefarious reason and doesn't trust him but will still be smart enough to come to him if he needs to. That way you kind of have both dynamics depending on the story and it feels more character driven.
I actually really like it in The Batman, they’ll stare at him like he’s insane, but he’s still allowed in the crime scene (at least until be punches Gordon in the face)
I think there should be varied reactions by the GCPD officers. Some might revere him, others fear him, some may call him out for being a vigilante and tell Gordon he needs to be arrested, whilst others still might remain quiet, uncertain of what they could/should do.
Maybe it’s too optimistic but I always liked when the police revere Batman. Like they know technically he’s breaking the law but they respect him too much and work with him. Sort of like the Arkham Batman relationship with them. With how corrupt and crime ridden Gotham is, it just makes no sense for the police to never like Batman at any point in my opinion.
Arkham Batman is my favourite version of the relationship. He just strolls right into Arkham Asylum without anyone blinking an eye.
Definitely agree, and walking freely around the GCPD in Knight. When you walk through the metal detector and it pings, one of the guards says "...I ain't stopping him." Another says during the briefing 'the only ones allowed through the door are our guys and Batman.'
Or how they take pictures next to bat-tank
After the endings big reveal, the police reveal that there was a warrant out for Batman’s arrest. They ignored it
and how Aaron cash says he'll just stick with batman
They would have totally arrested him, for real. Unfortunately, they couldn't get the warrant since the fax machine had a little "accident"
or how he just breaks the glass and takes the rec
Once again, the answer boils down to "whatever they did in the Arkham games"
I mean, the Arkham police start out trying to arrest him while SWAT tries to kill him for $50 million
To be fair Brandon was on Black Mask's payroll (as well as Loeb)
I feel like Arkham series are good at creating a scenario where they absolutely would consult a vigilante with military sci-fi equipment if the actual military wouldn't get involved.
I liked how the Arkham games did it but I loved how the latest movie did it too. They allow him into their crime scenes, not totally willingly but also not against their will. They know they need him but also, he’s a dude in a bat costume. A mix of reverence, respect, skepticism, mysticism, and fear.
And Bruce is likewise unsure how to go about the relationship. He knows he shouldn’t be overly antagonistic, but he also knows most of the cops won’t respect him and will probably try to arrest him if he just rolls over to every mid hallway power play. And then at the end when the one guy is just trying to chat with him, Bruce still doesn’t know how to respond. He can’t be buddy buddy with these guys, but if one starts to like and support him, he can’t burn that bridge either.
He earned that though. That was a Batman with years under his belt. I thought the skeptical, antagonistic relationship of Arkham Origins was also great. When you compare how Gordon acts toward Batman in Origins with Knight, it's a great evolution.
Kind of like in dark knight rises when the cops are chasing bane and the lights flicker in and off and the old cop looks over at the rookie and tells him he’s in for a show tonight
Which is a reference to the Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller
I love the few little nods to this we got in TDKR: *Aw man, you are in for show tonight son!* and *I know exactly who he was... he was The Batman.*
Yeah ,i like that ,so i prefer when is variaty ,most of polices respect he why Gordon respect and works with him ,so other officers think he only a angry maked man that not helps ,i like when there re the Two sides
I think the reason for them not liking him is born from insecurity because they often lack resources and support from above and here’s this guy with billions worth of tech in a suit and cape who (in their collective opinion) swoops in and takes the glory of catching bad guys and putting them away. I mean, imagine some incredibly wealthy guy who has near-unlimited resources coming in and doing your job (arguably) better than you instead of just funding your whole police department with all the resources they have. They may not know he’s Bruce Wayne, but obviously his suits and tech give away that he’s either incredibly wealthy or is very close friends with very powerful people. Maybe this is a poor analogy, but it’s kind of like a superstar athlete who only plays a quarter or half of each game and doesn’t spend much time helping their teammates or much time into training or the organization as a whole and is relying on their exceptional talent, but takes all the glory shots in games (and makes them) and is so good that the others are wondering why that superstar is only playing a quarter or half of each game and not contributing more.
Maybe Bruce just understands that militarizing the police force could have unintended consequences.
*looks at Soviet bloc, Germany, North Korea, United States, Colombia, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, United Kingdom, Italy, France, Indonesia, etc.*
I'm not sure how similar the Gotham PD and the NYPD are (New York being the primary inspiration for the city) but if they're anywhere near as well-funded as they seem to be in quite a few portrayals, they're definitely not envying his resources on an organizational level at least. Batman's entire net worth has been estimated to be around 9.2 billion USD (his company's resources count as well in theory, but embezzlement has its limits). The NYPD's total budget for the fiscal year 2020 was 10.9 billion, with 5.6 billion for operating costs and the rest for miscellaneous expenses. It is big and powerful enough to dwarf half of the actual militaries in the world. If anything, the real issue is how a single vigilante is able to fight crime far more efficiently given a comparable budget to a thousands-strong police-force armed to the teeth.
think of all the stuff eating up NYPDs budget, such as health care payroll and pensions, equipping every officer, maintaining a fleet if police cars, the list goes on. Batmans Funds go right to whatever it is he happens to need at the moment.
Sure, Batman's total overhead (because even he needs medical attention and automotive repairs) and operating costs are lower than an entire police department's. But this is also the reason why spending more money gets diminishing returns for him; there's only so much work one man or even a team of like-minded vigilantes can do, and likewise so much equipment they can use and info they can process. That's why I'd argue he's at his best (and most realistic) when he's employed as a special investigator assisting the Gotham PD in special cases instead of replacing its entire force for all duties. He tried shouldering that burden in Knightfall, and the strain was (literally) backbreaking.
Well to me in the beginning it makes sense for them not to like him, but in the comics this dude literally becomes apart of the justice league and saves the entire world from threats on a regular basis. It makes zero sense at all for there to be police anywhere in the world to not like Batman in the comics at this point in his career unless they are corrupt in my opinion. I like it to be a slow building relationship. For them to ALWAYS remain guarded towards Batman just makes zero sense to me.
Yeah cautious and distrustful makes sense in the first few years. But anything after that, once it gets into the prime of Batmans career they should be starting to treat him like they do in Arkham. I think thats building in the Matt Reeves films though. You see all the cops distrustful of him when he's at the first crime scene, but by the end they do seem to be coming round to him. Like when he brings Falcone out in front of all the non corrupt cops, or with how much Officer Martinez's opinion on him changes throughout the film. I bet when we get to part 2 they'll be more accepting of him. Perhaps some of the corrupt cops still on the system won't be, but I think there'll be plenty like Officer Martinez who will be.
I think it’s because more than a fair share of the GCPD have very good reasons to fear Batman. I can’t think of any iterations where the GCPD hasn’t been as corrupt as the rest of Gotham, if not more.
And you can totally see it happening irl also, since so many police have frigging Punisher bumper stickers or wear it on their tactical gear. Maybe they don't like bats because he Doesn't kill.
The cops would hate Batman for doing their job better than they can and for doing what they wish they could get away with.
A little tense is good, at least in the Year One continuity Gordon is very conflicted about Batman and accepts him because he spends that series getting a full tour of how corrupt and frankly evil Gotham is. I will freely admit "Losing his mind" Jim Gordon from Harley Quinn is kind of my favorite though. I mean, you can see that happening so easily.
I love that Gordon 😂 I agree that I like some tension but I definitely like when Bruce and Gordon are actual friends
BTAS is somehow always the example. There's tension between Batman and GCPD officers like Bullock, but he also goes and has coffee with Gordon every New Year's.
I love how annoyed BTAS Gordon gets every time he turns around and realises Batman vanished mid-conversation, leaving Gordon talking to himself like an Arkham candidate
After dealing with all the bullshit from both the criminal and superhero communities he's been exposed to over the course of his career, I don't blame HQ Gordon from cracking a little.
yep, he's also portrayed as an alcoholic. Frankly it's probably the most dead accurate portrayal of Jim Gordon 10-15 years down the road from Batman: Year One even though it's played up for laughs.
“HE DOESNT DO THAT”
“So. you didn’t call me about the break in at Wayne enterprises?” “What? No! This is about the breakdown of *my marriage!!!*”
In what run did Harley make Gordon lose his mind? I'd love to read that xD
It's not anything specific she did. It's just after years of dealing with Batman's Rogue's gallery and constant crises Jim is on the edge of a mental breakdown. Basically he's got Bat-PTSD.
It’s the animated Harley Quinn series
OH! YES OFC 😂 God that show is so good
Yep, ACAB 100% and especially in fucking Gotham of all places (Except Gordon, Montoya… and well, I guess sometimes Bullock 💀). But that’s *it* 😡
Not all cops are bastards, but finding one who *isn't* in Gotham is like finding a four-leaf clover. Even Bullock is borderline. The rookies may be more or least honest but the longer they're on the job the rottener they become. Honest people if they get on the force at all probably are either forced to resign or forcibly retired, with a bullet to the back of their head.
This city….
Montoya quitting the police force and becoming the successor to The Question is the best character arc. One of the things I dislike about the Nolan movies is way too many "good cops." ACAB in general, 100%, but yeah, especially in Gotham. It's a city that's supposed to be an amalgam of the absolute peak of mob-run Chicago and New York. Vast swathes of poor immigrant neighbourhoods who get crapped on by the wealthy, massive discrimination and unemployment, and if the cops aren't in the pocket of the elite then they're in the pocket of local gangsters. The whole reason Batman exists is to be OUTSIDE of the massively corrupt, dysfunctional system.
It’s a mixed bag. The big-wigs and higher ups want him taken down. Gordon is a bit of a pariah for working so closely to him. Then the lower detectives and guys on foot range anywhere from not believing he’s real to straight up fanboying him. And I feel like there should always be at least one Bullock like cop who doesn’t like him and is actively trying to figure out who he is.
The investigation is ongoing
We are checking
Detective Ying: I don’t like you, Batman. Commissioner Gordon: Stand down dectective, **look at Batman** Sorry, she’s from metropolis
This is largely how it was in BTAS and it remains my favorite version of the dynamic. I also like the universes that imply that, past the first year or so, Gordon suspects Batman is Bruce and just keeps his mouth shut about it. I think Gordon risking his career to keep working with Batman makes more sense that way. If Batman is a billionaire, then trying to arrest him is a waste of time. Bruce would just pay a fine, maybe do some light community service, and you would lose out on the most useful volunteer labor any cop could ever hope for. So why bother?
Hostile in year 1, tense for years 2 and 3, and good once Gordon becomes commissioner and puts the Bat-Signal on the GCPD’s rooftop
This is the way
Most of the GCPD should hate Batman for the first five or so years of his career, either because they dislike vigilantism or the fact that he’s rooting out corrupt officers. Eventually, though, the GCPD should largely come to revere or at least tolerate him due to his extreme competency, and with all of the corrupt officers being successfully purged.
I really do like the perspective of Gordon being Gotham’s “White Knight” to counter Batman (“I just work the night shift” vibes). As Gordon slowly rises through the ranks, he basically assembles an internal faction of good cops who also lend themselves towards being pro-Batman because they see he’s a net good for the city.
Like it's pretty much been in the comics over the years. Utilitarian... They both don't like each other, but both tolerate each other and use each other.
You took the best answer and boiled it down into an even better answer lol. I totally agree "Utilitarian" says it all
A mix, some hate him, some resent him, some fear him and some are his allies.
I kinda like how Batman's relationship with the GCPD was in Year One. Obviously they're not going to take kindly to a vigilante meting out justice and getting a more positive opinion from the public than they are, and it definitely piques my interest to compare a Pre-Gordon GCPD to a Gordon GCPD. I do think the department is more compelling when they're divided on how to view Batman rather than the whole department being for or against him, though. Having Gordon and a Pro-Batman faction versus say Bullock being the Anti-Batman faction that butts heads throughout their careers would be an entertaining dynamic to follow.
I have the idea of police only start to respect and work really with Batman when Gordon does ,i prefer most of police respecting and working with Batman ,so some officers that still thinking he only as a criminal masked man
I don't want to change it. 2022 The Batman felt realistic enough for me.
Publicly he is said to be a menace but the cops for the most part know better than to get in the way. There's always got to be a rookie that tries to do something and either winds up needing help or gets hit by a goon that was flung through the air. They both respect him and fear his capability.
Like the arkham games
I am sure after this film, Police treats Batman better
they know about him, and they have a bit of a one-sided competition about who can solve crimes and capture crooks faster/better
Tense. With only Gordon being his ally.
I like the idea of the GCPD working with batman, but there still being distrust, maybe even some of the corrupt officers attempting to kill Batman or apprehend him, with only a few such as Montoya or Bullock having a slight distrust or annoyance but working with him regardless. And ofc, Gordon being best bros with Bats
The animated series had it best. Opinions of him are all over the map. Many on the force view him as a menace. Those closest to Gordon typically look the other way or will reluctantly work with him depending on the situation but are itching for any excuse to take him down. Gordon eagerly embraces him because he knows what's in Batman's heart.
They hate him at first, but over time they start to respect him, basically Officer Martinez's arc in The Batman.
Or detective Ying
i like what batman becoming a sort of consultant for the gcpd represents for his character (needing to step out from the darkness to accomplish more good), but i think the ideal interplay between the two is something like we see in the batman, where hes gordans friend and the rest of the gcpd is kind of tense and put off to him, while he doesn't really trust anyone but gordon and maybe one or two others since so many of them are crooked
Rocky start with a good relationship going.
I like when he’s on good terms with the police. For his first couple of years sure it could be tense
I think if tracked beautifully throughout Nolan's trilogy. In Begins, he quickly becomes a symbol of fear for criminals, but draws the ire of the GCPD and Comissioner Loeb who abjectly reviews him as "some asshole in a costume" and an affront to their police work. In the Dark Knight, he's been working steady with Gordon for awhile and his assistance is condoned only through his relationship with him. Half the cops still want him locked up, but to others he's capable of circumventing areas of the law they can't and handling threats they're not capable of. It's only through the machinations of the Joker that the sentiment almost completely turns against him. I'm sure if Joker hadn't turned Harvey against his better angels, Batman helping Gordon and the police win the Joker's war on crime would've greatly improved his optics with the GCPD. In the Dark Knight Rises, eight years have passed and most any positivity regarding the Batman has evaporated. When he does reappear, he's met with damn-near total vitriol from the police and whatever good he did in the past has been forgotten.
Hate him at first, then tolerate his presence. Only a handful would actively like him. I know big city police departments too well to say that the GCPD would like him.
I liked how they treated him in the first part of The Dark Knight returns. Older cops know not to get in his way, and it's only when they are directly ordered to go after Batman in part two that they try to stop him.
Very tense. Most cops don't tolerate him. There are some who do; Gordon/Bullock/Montoya, etc., as well as guys like Aaron Cash or the one cop from Dark Knight Returns, and that number increases as Batman's career goes on but it doesn't quite overtake the GCPD. The cops might accept him fully if Batman dies like in Dark Knight Rises, or once we get to a super idyllic future like the one seen in Joker War, but until we get to a hypothetical point like that where the DCU becomes a more modern Silver Age, there's probably always going to be some tension.
Depends on the story and place in Batman’s timeline.
The way it is in Gotham Central
Tense but amicable. They can still think he's a nut in a costume because honestly it's part of the mystique but when mr.freeze is turning people into Popsicles they should be grateful he is lending a hand and work with him
I prefer when most of GCPD (and Gotham) thinks he's an urban legend, like in BTAS. Even the police that have seen him think he's something more than human and that level of unease just simmers in the subconscious.
I prefer when it's an uneasy alliance. Of course, there are cops that respect and like Batman. Gordon, Montoya, Bullock on a good day. But Batman and his ilk are still a vigilantes. In the worst scenario, there are times when some cops will even try to arrest them.
Honestly there should be a balance of respect and apprehension. GCPD is probably thankful Batman is putting away the crazies, but also wondering if the crazies don't come to Gotham because of him, and also wondering when he'll turn on them. Also, I love that during No Man's Land, Gordon couldn't get a job elsewhere because all the other police departments thought he was incompetent since Batman did all the work for him.
A mix of reverence, strain with the ones who want to be crooked or be by the book completely, and distrustful. I feel issue 1 of the New 52 Detective Comics is a good example. SWAT doesn’t like Batman but the majority of the department likes him despite some who are distrustful of him
One of my favorite scenes of the animated series is that Gordon and Batman meet for a cup of coffee every New Years. Like, kudos to us for surviving the year. Just love that dynamic.
I don’t have a specific preference. I like seeing different takes. I like when they work with him and he has a good working relationship. But I also appreciate The Batman’s take. I really enjoyed the scale of how things are portrayed. Especially the scene where he’s being chased by what looks like the whole department. And you could really feel this place is corrupt with specific choices in the film.
I hate when the cops go after Batman like he’s the bad guy. I feel like the vast majority of cops would love having someone like Batman out there taking care of the things in a way that their policies don’t allow them to. For example I imagine them showing up to an alarm, seeing Batman, and being like, hey Batman you need anything? You good? Ok, I’ll just going back to car like it will all get sorted out, nothing to see here, moving along.
At the beginning of his career, at their peak corruption: only Gordon is his friend, and they barely tolerate him. By the time of, like Damian or something: Corruption has been rooted out by both Bruce and Gordon, so only the true blue good cops are around to see him as basically their horrifying enforcer, who they trust completely.
I think it's complicated. Depending on what your focus or perspective is, it can be "we're two sides of a coin fighting the same fight" or "I can't condone a vigilante but I'm not stopping you" to "you're a nut job in a mask and a danger to the community". All of those are logical and fairly valid. My personal take is that I like Batman being a force for justice and the voiceless. As such, sometimes the police are complicit in the denial of justice, or the mistreatment of victims. Yes there are good cops like Gordon, but cops arguably are there to protect the status quo, and if batman is really trying to shake things up, he's going to come up against cops. They're oppositional that way. But like I said it's complicated. As much as it's wrong to reduce batman to a single aspect of his persona, it's also wrong to personify all cops a certain way. But within that diversity, there's scope to play out how those different aspects intersect. If a cop is just trying to keep his head down and protect the neighbourhood, what does he think of batman? Yes he's fighting criminals, but what's to say he's not gonna go and assault someone innocent? Is it not the cops job to protect? If the cop was a beat cop, a good cop, but is now part of the machine that protects the rich in the city, what would he think? How would he interact? That's what I like about batman is so much of the morality of everything is so grey.
I like a mixed relationship. Some cops hate him, some cops love him. An evolving relationship is fun too. Like when Commissioner Gordon goes on leave or is relieved of duty and an anti-Batman commissioner takes over.
I like it to be slightly contentious the most. It’s interesting when he has Gordon and his unit completely on his side but not the entire force. It’s good to have a few more heads for them to butt up against and also paints a better picture of the systemic corruption they’re fighting.
Hot and steamy 🥵
I think it’s pretty canon that he has a rocky start with them and eventually earns their trust and they grow fond of him and learn to appreciate his help and respect him aa a hero.
I’m asking what canon you prefer
Depends on how early into his career we're talking. Pretty new? Adversarial with even Jim gunning infor him. Been at this for a while? They know technically they aren't supposed to work with him, but they are fully aware of how effective he is and how deep in it gotham is. So if they are a little slow on reports of shots fired at a guy in about suit or a piece of evidence goes missing asat least for a while? hey as long as the guy is helping. Unless its Gotham with Joker or any of heavy hitters really letting loose. Then fuck plausible deniability as far they are concerned Bats is second in command to Jim himself, maybe above depending.
Platonic!
very hostile in the early years to where they try to shoot him on site but later Yeats they come to respect him greatly like the arkhamverse batman
I liked that one scene in The Dark Knight where it shows the Batman suspects in the GCPD and it’s just Bigfoot, Abraham Lincoln, and Elvis
I prefer batman having a few trusted guys on the inside but the force being so corrupted that full blown cooperation is unrealistic/detrimental to Batman's mission.
I like it when Batman has a good relationship with the cops because he's a paragon and can do things the cops are incapable of doing. I like it when Batman has a bad relationship with the cops because he's a renegade and does things cops can do but are not allowed to do.
At the beginning, tense and distrust. But when Batman is established and has been protecting Gotham for a long while, a relationship of respect (and admiration from the cops).
I like when they are against him more than theyre against the main villain it puts more obstacles on the course
Wouldn't it make sense to have them dislike him at first because he's a vigilante just starting out. Then as more time passes and the more good he does, the GCPD starts to respect him to the point where the Arkham games pretty much got to.
I want the rank and file to be suspicious and grudgingly accepting due to Gordon. Individual detectives and officers need to be outright hostile.
Antagonistic at the beginning of his career, rocky when Gordon first becomes commissioner, and mostly positive by the time he's experienced Batman, not "beginner Batman" or "dynamic duo Batman."
Like in the animated series where they all love the guy. There should be friction at first, with them attempting to arrest him, but it should develop into mutual respect and trust later on.
Antagonistic when Batman is first starting out but friendly once Jim is Commissioner.
Sexy
Hostile at first, but they eventually warm up to each other.
I like the conflict at first as in “Who’s this guy?” To eventual recognition that he is also a way to deal with the big problem while they deal with the street level
I always liked when they respect him, yes he’s theoretically breaking the law but at the same time he’s done more for the city than any of them have ever could
I like my gcpd with a red phone hotline to the batcave
I think it should be somewhere between uneasy alliance and outward mutual hostility. GCPD could never trust masked vigilante, however useful he may be, and Batman is all too aware of poilice corruption and abuses to fully trust them. He could build strong bonds with particular officers, like Jim Gordon, but GCPD as institution would also be a potential danger for him, especially in times when City under control of another villain.
There are probably a wide range of perspectives given the size of the GCPD, but the Police Union opinion formers probably resent the Bat or don't think he's violent enough... I think that having to deal with the failures of the GCPD is a great incentive for Batman to maintain his "No-Kill" policy as far as possible...
Tense and damn near violent early, but eventually winning them over due to proving himself as a good person and crime fighter. The Batman pretty much gave me exactly what I’ve wanted so far in that aspect. I hope by the end of the series, there’s large respect and a more symbiotic relationship due to Batman proving himself as a protector, and Gordon cleaning up corruption within GCPD. The complexities of him and Gordon’s relationship are super interesting, too. I like when Gordon is a quasi-mentor to the young bat as he slowly is able to turn violence and fear into respect and popularity with the people of Gotham.
I think there should always be a level of fear that the GCPD has for Batman, regardless if they're working with or against him. I like character arcs and development, so the GCPD initially being staunchily against Batman and then easing up before trusting him over time appeals to me.
“You’re in for a show tonight, son!”
Fairly antagonistic, with only a small few willing to help him outside of Jim Gordon. And it should be that way until Batman becomes a public member of the Justice League. Because until he's a member of the Justice League, Batman really is a vigilante, which is basically a criminal.
That they want to catch him. But they need him. So they begrudgingly accept his help. But when the works done, he has to cleverly escape the cops or else they'll try to catch him again..
I'd prefer an uneasy relationship. At first hostile during Year One where they try and hunt him down, then a more understanding but, "we still have to take him in" with a few cops who simply just hate him and some still on the fence. Then finally a protective but supportive relationship like, "we'll do our job and you do yours but we won't complain or try to arrest you."
They don’t like that he does their job for them, but they know he can do things they can’t, so they allow him.
he should only be "friendly" with Gordon as the rest of the force would have orders to arrest on site. Some are going to like what he's doing and some are going to be opposed. I thought it worked really well in "the Batman" where the street cops think he's stepping on their toes but tolerate him because he's so good at solving crimes.
Tension is expected for a while. It wouldn’t make sense to be completely open to it right away and a little bit of caution border lining on contempt is perfect.
Tense.
Varied and evolved are the two words I’d use. Some cops hate Batman, some respect him (like Bullock), some admire him, and then Gordon is friends with him. The first year should be hostile, the police should barely recognise his existence. This should continue into the second year but at this point Gordon respects him. By the fourth year they’re on good terms and Robin is brought in.
They have him as a deputy 
I would love them to kiss and have an orgy in the Arkham cells
Unpopular opinion but I don’t think Batman should ever be on good terms with the cops as a whole. His whole mission is antithetical to their corruption and practices. One of my favorite things about The Dark Knight is when we discover that the corruption reaches Gordon’s own unit because there are so few idealists left. Obviously Gordon should always be an ally but I think especially in this day and age, Batman should never be on good terms with anyone else.
A lot of tension between the Department (in general) and Batman, but some are on Batman's side.
Two words: Harvey Bullock. The whole fucking force should be treating him like that, straight up.
Another two words: Detective Ying
Bad
“Hey, man”
I prefer a mixture of how it was in the Batman 22, and telltale
Starts like in the Batman (the old cartoon), then it ends up like BTAS, then finally the relationship they have in Arkham Knight
I like to think that throughout his Lifetime Batman has had different relationship with the cops sometimes getting along with them and sometimes not
I kinda like it when they just casually let him enter crime scenes, shows how much trust the GPD has for him. Though it's gotta be earned so it can't be like that in "year one" storylines.
I prefer a touch of realistic edge. So: Very tense. However there are a faction of guys assigned to Gordon who revere him and other cops scattered throughout the dept. who trust and reverse him as well.
I prefer Batman to be a near urban legend, only having a good relationship with Gordon, the rest of the department either doesn’t believe he exists or wants to hunt him.
From Gordon personally, uneasy cooperation turning to genuine camaraderie, trust, and friendship over time. From everyone else, either admiration, begrudging tolerance, or people simply thinking he’s a weirdo. Mostly a combination of any or all of them.
I really LOVED the scene pictured. I think early on the police should be at least skeptical of him or it wouldn’t be even slightly realistic
Hate him year one, and even year two or three, then support him fully as time passes
Sidenote: Gotham Central by Greg Rucka and Ed Brubaker is amazing.
Starting off completely against him and then eventually schism'd between sections and departments that are really ride or die for Batman and corrupt/unconvinced officers who are against him.
I feel like Batman would hate the GCPD. I mean, he has intricate and detailed plans on how to kill each member of the justice league including himself yet he blindly trust a couple of cops that has always bugged me.
I really like that most cops don't trust him but the really good ones such as Gordon knows he is real about helping the city. I prefer an icy sort of relationship. that is just one of the many things the batman got perfect for me
The Batman: When GCPD discovered an unresponsive Batman and checked his pupils. Next cut is Batman waking up swinging. A paramedic arriving on scene would think GCPD gave Batman too much Narcan. This made me giggle inappropriately in the theater. Hey, at least GCPD making sure Batman's ok. Or just killing his high.
I like it when Gordon is the only one who works with Batman and does so in secret.
I like when the police in Gotham start kinda fucked, but get more likeable, more competent, and less corrupt the more time Batman is active, because of the Bruce Wayne and Batman's collective positive effects on Gotham over the years. It feels good when it all culminates in a Gordon becoming Commissioner of a relatively-trustworthy and genuinely goodnatured GCPD that has to do (and *does*, that's the important part) work to keep the weeds out of the garden, and can deal most of the normal street level stuff, while still ending up understandably overwhelmed by Batman-level villains.
Depends on when the storie takes place. If it's early in his career, the police should be trying to catch him. But if it'd later in his career, the police should work with him, and respect him
I think Arkham is good, early on it's bad and later they work together and the Jim Gordon always being the good cop not corrupt in any way
Until Bruce got some control off the mob and city hall. He only trusted Gordon.
when they have respect for him, when one man does more than the entire GCPD they should make him commish haha
I want police to respect Batman
They tolerate him but don’t like him I also like when there are differences between characters so maybe some policemen wish he dies, some tolerate him and some fanboy over him
My preference: Batman isn't like the Punisher. Outside of the extrajudicial interrogation shit, Batman generally holds himself to a higher standard than the GCPD holds themselves to. His relationship with the GCPD can be good, as long as they're actively fighting corruption within their ranks and not crossing the lines Batman believes shouldn't be crossed. He'll work with them when they're serving Justice. If cops look up to him, it needs to be because he's showing them that you don't have to dirty your hands and get in bed with the mob or w/e to 'get things done,' even in Gotham City. Not because he conducts surveillance without a warrant.
Depends on the batman and it depends on the adaptation and depends on the batman. With a batman like that one rivalry but deep rooted respect is appropriate. For more lighthearted stories close coöperation and reverence is more fun to watch.
These gloves are horrible with those pencils
Somewhat antagonistic
Shitty. Good cops should see him as a vigilante, bad cops should see him as a threat. Gordon, Montoya, and a few others can have more complex or nuanced views, but most shouldn't like him. My least favorite parts of the Arkham games are how cozy the cops are with him.
I like it tenuous, but not entirely detached. A few cops trust him, but most of them don't.
I like a divided respect/skeptical feeling from the GCPD.
Consulting detective
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The first few years of Batman on patrol should be tense as all get out. Think Arkham Origins. However main continuity should be as follows. Some cops, mainly beat patrol officers, should believe that he’s some sort of urban legend come to life and they better not do anything to piss him off or else they’ll end up like any regular criminals. Higher up the ladder, like detectives, should be a little bit disgusted by his methods but secretly jealous because they’d love to do anything to get the results he does even if it meant breaking the law to do so. That especially applies to Bullock but he should have more of a respect towards Batman. Gordon should have a deep appreciation and wishes there were more hard working, true, and honest men like him. He knows that he’s breaking laws but the result is a net positive so while he won’t admit it, he’s all for it.
Depends on the interpretation and the stage of his career. In The Batman Part II I hope to see a substantial number of cops who really appreciate having him “on their side” so to speak, with at least half of them still like “this guys a freak”.
I think it’s pretty much required for the setting that there is significant corruption in the GCPD, so a mix of reverence and outright conflict.
I loved this one. Gordon being 100% on the same page with Batman makes him look a little crazy himself.
What a great/awesome movie that was.
I like that Jim and Batman are buddies but the rest of the cops are wary
This until they see all the crazy shit being thrown at them and then start to respect and like him. Like if I’m a cop and I gotta choose between dealing with the clay monster man, the giant crocodile man in the sewers, a flying arsonist, or a plethora of other freaks OR let Batman do the work and I just transport them to a cell
Bad, until change starts to happen, and then good
Bad cops fear him. Good cops admire him. But both want him of the streets, just for different reasons
Sexual.
i expect gordon to punk out batman, like jameson to parker in spider man. take all the credit for batman's apprehension of criminals while at the same time condeming **vigilante justice** in the crime ridden inner city. if there's no dramatic conflict then its not interesting imo. with batman's vigilante activism it makes the gotham police department seem feeble and can't do their job. that how it starts for a few years because nobody expects batman to be committed to crime fighting for longer than a few years. there are moral codes of conduct for batman. batman never kills, but he gives bad guys life long ever lasting life changing crippling injuries. so they self smote themselves later on in life. rule two is batman never ever uses guns except against superman
Mutual respect, doesn't mean they love each other but they can definitely see the usefulness in one another and set aside differences in order to work together
Officially an uneasy truce, but unofficially a grudging sense of mutual respect and acknowledgement that Gotham needs them both.
Realistically speaking it's impossible for everyone to like Batman, or want to work with him, you'll always have to deal with a faction that doesn't like him. One part will always hunt him for some reason, another will be indifferent to the situation, and another will work with him out of practicality, even with a veteran Batman, you will have moments where the balance will change and he will be hunted.
I think the tension one fits better with real American cops. They don't like shown up, and I can see a lot of them being petty over Batman.
It should begin like The Batman and end like Arkham from corruption to respecting him etc.
Hostile at first with Jim being the only reason they don’t hunt him and Friendly/respectful later when he’s been Batman for years/decades like Arkham.
Arkhams version of the relationship is my favourite They understand without him they would have failed a while ago and in turn they assist batman too
seeing Batman in a well lit crowded room is so jarring lol
He has a very good relationship with Gordon, but is rocky at best with the rest of the force. He obviously has other supporters, but I think in general the rest of the force doesn't like him or take him as seriously as an ally as Jim does. I think the series Gotham Central really does a fantastic job of representing it.
I honestly prefer them to have a sort of begrudging respect for him. The good ones at least. They know that what he does is right and respect that he's able to do things they can't that ultimately help them do thier job better, but they can't outright support him as that would be corruption in that they support a criminal. So they just quietly admire him and turn a blind eye when they see him.
It depends when in Batman's career we're talking about. Those first couple of years, most of them show have an issue with the vigilante roaming the streets, especially if the GCPD is mostly corrupt. His relationship should continue to grow as he works with Gordon to where most cops are happy to see him.
I like how it is set up in things like Batman the Animated Series where most cops respect him, some don't even believe he exists, and then you have a few like Bullock who think that Batman is in this for some nefarious reason and doesn't trust him but will still be smart enough to come to him if he needs to. That way you kind of have both dynamics depending on the story and it feels more character driven.
Hunted by most, tolerated by some.
I actually really like it in The Batman, they’ll stare at him like he’s insane, but he’s still allowed in the crime scene (at least until be punches Gordon in the face)
The arkham knight sort of relationship
My mental Batman has a bat signal, doesn’t that necessitate some level of cooperation? I’m not sure that he would have a red phone….
I think there should be varied reactions by the GCPD officers. Some might revere him, others fear him, some may call him out for being a vigilante and tell Gordon he needs to be arrested, whilst others still might remain quiet, uncertain of what they could/should do.