In this universe, batman is a self-serving teenage incel ignoring the rot and crime in the worst parts of NYC.
His absence from the show is intentional and indictment on him as "hero" which is what The Batman and the first Joker drove home.
before the explosion...what was a 'batman' level threat even?
two crime families warring over territory in the slums?
People selling drugs in night clubs and corners?
a high speed chase? random shots fired?
None of that would come CLOSE to using the bat signal...literally this is a HARVEY BULLOCK level issue...
then the explosion...and they use the bat signal THAT NIGHT.
batman wasn't ignoring anything that was close to being a factor. Like I said earlier, The Riddler was literally blowing up court houses, killed the police commissioner, killed the district attorney, and flooded the entire city killing likely tens of thousands. This drug war wasn't shyt in comparison.