The roar of a Harley-Davidson's engine tore through the damp, cold night air of Pittsburgh.
Barney Ross twisted the throttle hard, his tires crushing the puddled asphalt and sending up a spray of black mud.
The motorcycle sped through the streets of the South District.
A year ago, the Pittsburgh South District at midnight belonged to the wail of sirens.
Police cruisers prowled the blocks like sharks, their flashing red and blue lights ready to pin some unlucky drunk or homeless person against a wall at any moment.
Back then, order was kept through fear.
But now, Barney had ridden two kilometers without seeing a single patrol car with its lights on. Instead, he saw three men on a street corner.
The three were dressed in matching dark blue work clothes, with conspicuous armbands and high-powered flashlights in their hands.
They were the community safety patrol.
It was one of the new policies rolled out after Leo Wallace took office.
