The Look

"The smile on your face lets me know that you need me.
There's a truth in your eyes saying you'll never me.
The touch of your hand says you'll catch me 'ever I fall.
You say it best, when you say nothing at all."

Okay, so maybe the song doesn't apply entirely, but at least you know I'm trying.

I have noticed a common thread in certain situations that CA Cop tells me about.  Whenever he is about to go hands on with an uncooperative individual, the moment prior to that contact being made always seems to be the same.....a look between his partner or backup and then hands on.

It fascinates me. It's always just a look, and then they move in on the subject. Working like a machine, they each work a different angle of the suspect in order to apprehend him as quickly and safely as possible.  No words are spoken, just a look followed by decisive action.

I don't know if it is just something that happens naturally between all cops?  I wonder if a sheriff or even if a CHP, whom he doesn't typically have a relationship with, was backing him up on a stop would it simply be a look at each other and a thousand words are exchanged on how to best deal with the unruly individual? In other words, is it a "universal look" or is it something that he shares with the officers who he knows and who know him?

I'm impressed at the training and the robotics of it all, yet still know that there are hundreds of unspoken thoughts and emotions swirling around in that split second that the action is taken.