A Georgia police department is under investigation after a video emerged of one of its officers beating a homeless woman during an arrest.

DeKalb County Police Department has reopened the investigation into a complaint of use of force that was filed on 4 June after an officer responded to reports of a woman allegedly begging for money at a Texaco Food Mart.

The officer was originally cleared following an internal inquiry, but the force has said it will examine "new evidence" relating to the report after a video of the incident went viral on social media.

The video, filmed by Stacy Zachery on his mobile phone, shows the officer in question repeatedly hitting the woman, identified as Katie McCrary, before arresting her.

Zachary told Fox 5: "I heard some scrambling going on and she was on the phone and he was just beating her. Something just went through my heart when I heard the first kick. He hit everything on her body except for the bottom of her feet."

A DeKalb County Police Department spokesperson said: "Upon the officer's arrival, the female, identified as Katie McCrary, attempted to push the officer out of the way.

"The officer stopped her at the door and asked her to step back. Words were exchanged between the officer and McCrary with McCrary subsequently assaulting the officer. She continued to aggressively resist the officer's commands, resulting in the deployment of the officer's baton.

"The officer was eventually able to restrain and handcuff McCrary. EMS responded to the scene to check McCrary. She was transported to the DeKalb County Jail and later to Grady Hospital. The officer filed a Use of Force Report on the incident.

"Now that the Department has this new [video] evidence. "We have reopened the investigation and will determine whether the incident is consistent with policy and the law."

McCrary was later charged with obstructing or hindering law enforcement officers and served a criminal trespass warning at the request of the store manager.

Warning: Some viewers may find content of video distressing.