A Black man who wanted to cash a check at a bank had the cops called on him by employees, according to local news station KPNX.
Reporters say this incident happened back in October 2021 after Almond Brewer went to Pinal County Federal Credit Union in Apache Junction, Arizona. The manager, however, doubted the check's authenticity, claiming it had "red flags." The Black man explained sold his boat to a woman on Facebook Marketplace, noting that the bank teller "looked kind of surprised."
The credit union told reporters the bank manager called 911 after running Brewer's check through a third-party verification system. It allegedly came up inconclusive.
Staff verified the check with the woman who purchased the boat while cops were on the way, according to the credit union. Police bodycam footage shows officers weren't aware of the verified check for about 10 minutes. The bank manager also didn't tell police about the check being "inconclusive" either, according to KPNX.
“It was just, ‘oh, you know, Black guy locks in his hair, tattoos, came on a Harley, you know?' Let’s assume the worst," Brewer, who's a former professional basketball player, told the news station. "Why embarrass somebody like that? Why, you know, make them feel less than a man."
Amy Marshall, president and CEO of the Pinal County Federal Credit Union, issued a statement in January over the issue. She says the employees "at no time did the staff feel threatened or feel Mr. Brewer was trying to rob the credit union." Marshall added that staff undergoes diversity and inclusion training but will review their processes.
The CEO also apologized to both Brewer and law enforcement for the debacle:
"Mr. Brewer, on behalf of Pinal County Federal Credit Union. I would like to formally apologize for this confusing experience while visiting one of our branch locations."