The U.S. Department of Justice announced Wednesday it will review the Memphis Police Department including its use of force and de-escalation tactics in the wake of the January fatal beating of Tyre Nichols.
Police video footage, from multiple perspectives, showed Memphis police officers hit 29-year-old Nichols in the face, kick him and strike him with a baton following a traffic stop for alleged reckless driving on Jan. 7. Nichols died three days later. More than a dozen Memphis fire and police department employees have been charged in connection with the beating.
Memphis officials asked for the review, which will also include probing the department’s specialized units, the DOJ said in a statement.
“Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland and Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn J. Davis requested this review, which will cover policies, practices, training, data and processes related to MPD’s use of force, de-escalation and specialized units,” the DOJ said.
Following the probe, the DOJ will issue a public report about its findings and recommendations.
The DOJ’s announcement came on the same day the city is expected to release 20 hours of video and audio from the beating.
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