(Memphis) The United States Department of Justice will review the Memphis City Police Department’s use of force policies in the wake of Tire Nichols’ heavy-handed arrest that led to his death .
This review was requested by the mayor and the city’s chief of police. In a separate dossier, it will also examine the deployment of special intervention teams across the country and produce a guide for police chiefs and mayors on their use.
“In the wake of the tragic death of Tire Nichols, the Justice Department heard from police chiefs across the country to assess the use of specialized units and, where appropriate, their management and oversight,” the prosecutor said. Deputy General Vanita Gupta.
The US Department of Justice has already opened a civil rights investigation in connection with Nichols’ death.
The city also plans to release about 20 hours of video and audio footage Wednesday related to the arrest of the 29-year-old motorist who died Jan. 10, three days after his violent arrest. This will add to already public footage from police body cameras and a surveillance camera that gave the world a detailed look at the police beating Nichols.
Six police officers have already been fired for their role in the case, and five of them now face second-degree murder charges.
The six officers were members of the Memphis Police Department’s Scorpion Unit, a group that residents have accused of using violent tactics. After briefly receiving support from his superior following Nichols’ death, the unit was disbanded and its remaining agents were assigned to other sectors.
According to the police version, Nichols was suspected of reckless driving when he was arrested Jan. 7, but no verified evidence of a traffic violation has surfaced in publicly available documents or video footage.