Manager fired after calling police on black man wearing socks in pool
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WATN) — A Memphis property manager was fired after a tenant claimed she and her boyfriend were discriminated against at an apartment swimming pool.
In a Facebook post, Camry Porter said she took her god babies and boyfriend to her pool at Riverset Apartments. Porter said they were there less than 10 minutes when the property manager approached her boyfriend for wearing socks in the pool. When he didn’t take his socks off immediately, she said the manager came back and said it again.
When Porter asked the manager for identification, Porter said the manager told them to leave. Porter refused, and the manager left to call police.
Porter shot cell video after the encounter and said it shows the manager walking away on the phone.
“I pay rent like everyone else I have never had any issues with a sock until today. Mind you, we are the only black people out here and as soon as we walked up she had something to say,” Porter said in her Facebook video. “A property manager should be able to de-escalate something to handle a situation as simple as that was without involving MPD.”
The Memphis native claimed the manager did not seem to have a clear explanation for what was proper pool attire.
“She said no hats, no shirts, no socks, we have two men who are her friends sitting here in two hats. Man sitting here in a hat,” Porter said in her video.
She said she saw men swimming in basketball shorts.
“Nothing was done to them but as soon as we walk into the area being the only black family and we’re the only people you addressed at the time that made me feel like it was racially motivated,” said Porter.
Porter’s Facebook post led the complex’s ownership group to reach out to her early Thursday morning. On their Facebook page, Riverset Apartments said:
Riverset Apartments takes Ms. Porter’s allegations very seriously.
We do not support discrimination of any kind and are currently investigating this matter.”
Then updated it with this:
After assessing statements from Ms. Porter and determining that this former employee’s actions violate our company’s policies and beliefs, she is no longer employed by Riverset Apartments.
“You can’t treat people like that in this day and age. It’s not right,” said Porter.
The tenant did not have much to say about the manager losing her job.
As for her boyfriend’s socks, Porter said the ground was hot and that is what he chose to wear.