The United States Department of Justice will look into the death of Tire Nichols

The death of Tire Nichols shocked the United States earlier this year. (File photo)

The United States Department of Justice will review the City of Memphis Police Department's policies regarding the use of force, in the aftermath of the muscular arrest of Tire Nichols which 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 Response Teams across the country and produce a guide for police chiefs and mayors on their use.

Following 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 approximately 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 the already public footage from police action 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 charges of second-degree murder.

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 its superior following Nichols' death, the unit was disbanded and its remaining agents assigned to other sectors.

According to the police version, Nichols was suspected of reckless driving when he was arrested on January 7, but no verified evidence of a traffic violation has emerged in public documents or in video sequences.