GR translation: eyes tuned to the finest possibilities of threat

[Mike Jing]

V570.17-24, P580.12-19   No wonder. The cops go at busting these
proceedings the way they must’ve handled anti-Nazi street actions before
the War, moving in, mmm ja, with these flexible clubs, eyes tuned to the
finest possibilities of threat, smelling of leather, of the wool-armpit
rankness of their own fear, jumping little kids three-on-one, shaking down
girls, old people, making them take off and shake out even boots and
underwear, jabbing and battering in with tireless truncheonwork among the
crying kids and screaming women.

Does the "threat" here refer to the threat to the cops themselves, or their
threat to others?