WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Before the Batman: An Original Movie Novel, on sale now.
In the Dark Knight's war on justice after his parents' deaths, a major cog in this crusade across so many mediums has been Commissioner Jim Gordon. He was the Bat's first police ally, which was translated to many comics, cartoons, video games and movies. Gordon, whether he was the top cop or not, always backed the Bat and believed while he bent rules, it was for a good cause. Well, the prequel to Matt Reeves' The Batman, titled Before the Batman: An Original Movie Novel, changed things up by giving Bruce Wayne a police ally before Gordon.
Bruce needed help when he realized criminals were using military-grade explosive gels, so he asked Alfred for assistance. The butler then pointed him towards Lieutenant Janice Dure, quickly vouching for her while taking note of Bruce's constant work on the prototype Bat-mobile. Bruce first sent Dure evidence of the gel, as well as clues to begin an investigation of her own. His nighttime adventures eventually led him to Dex, an old racing friend who was distributing the gel. Bruce knew something was off, though, so he called Dure secretly and got intel on Dex and her dad, Bennet, who was incarcerated.
Bruce then began his detective mission, going undercover at night and sneaking into the prison during the day, sussing out that Dex was being blackmailed by one of Penguin's goons, Piggy, to transport and supply the gel around the city. Piggy put Bennet in jail as leverage, so Bruce began working a sting mission. He used Dex as bait and took Piggy down, leaving him in his truck with all the evidence for Dure and the cops to find. Bruce even left Dure a note, grateful she pointed him towards Bennet and unlocked the truth.
And as part of the deal, Dure helped get Bennet exonerated, placing him and Dex towards a new life in Metropolis. It was a well-oiled relationship, and while the novel didn't reveal where Gordon was since Bruce was comfortable with Dure, he wasn't needed. He was so impressed by her, in fact, that he left a Bat-symbol on the note, hinting at what he was becoming. Dure didn't know Bruce's identity, but she was left excited and hopeful, inspired by how a citizen stayed in the shadows, fed her info and delivered the case on a silver platter.
Of course, when Dure got full credit on the news and couldn't hint at external help, Alfred realized what Bruce was up to. He didn't like Bruce moonlighting as a vigilante or working with former contacts, but he did want to see him safe and happy. Alfred then reluctantly joined the mission, even though he could tell this was the start of a dangerous partnership between Bruce and the Gotham Police Department.
To see Bruce's relationship with Gordon flourish, The Batman arrives in theaters March 4.