Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. on Wednesday called for a wide-ranging review of police tactics and training, speaking to dozens of mayors and police chiefs who had gathered in Little Rock, Ark., to discuss race relations and policing in the United States in the wake of protests in Ferguson, Mo.

"The Justice Department is working with major police associations to conduct a broad review of policing tactics, techniques and training," Mr. Holder said. The review is intended to "help the field swiftly confront emerging threats, better address persistent challenges, and thoroughly examine the latest tools and technologies to enhance the safety and the effectiveness of law enforcement."

He said he hoped the review would evaluate policing and provide direction "on a scale not seen" since President Lyndon B. Johnson’s Commission on Law Enforcement was appointed in 1965, the New York Times reports.