Um. More like... an organized group of mostly sanctioned vigilantes. [He says 'mostly.' Because... technically they're extralegal, but the government doesn't really have anyone else to deal with the things that the League and Titans and so on deal with, so...] The police are separate.

To some people, I guess. I... well, Batman's been around and taking care of my city for as long as I can remember, so I guess I don't find bats all that scary at this point.