‘Batman’ joins forces with Detroit police
theGRIO REPORT - A Detroit resident, known as "Batman," is committed to making a difference in his community by ensuring its safety.
A Detroit resident, known as “Batman,” is committed to making a difference in his community by ensuring its safety.
Walter Gildersleeve regularly patrols his neighborhood on the city’s west side, bringing along with him his street-smart attitude, passion-filled heart and a loaded gun, reports WXYZ.
His night usually involves patrolling a huge number of abandoned homes that can be havens for urban crimes. “Batman” is part of a group called Detroit Street Watchers who do just the same as he does.
Some years ago, while he was patrolling near a school, a student called him “Batman,” and the name stuck since then. While he may not look like the comic-book hero or wear a costume, he is a hero to many of the neighborhood.
Some residents claim that they feel safe because there is a real man out on the street, protecting them. Gildersleeve recalls some of the tough cases they’ve had, including a search for a two-year-old girl.
Her father was eventually convicted of her murder, but the girl’s body was never found. Part of “Batman’s” belief is that there are many others like that little girl in Detroit; they just need somebody to find them.
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