Police label wanted woman fat, refer to her as a man

Police initially described the woman as "fat" and called her a male. Photo / Police

Auckland police have come under fire for calling a wanted woman "fat" while referring to her as a "him" on Facebook.

A mug shot of the woman was posted to the North Shore, Rodney & West Auckland Police Facebook page where social media users called out the police for their blunder.

Members of the public commented telling police that "fat" was "a bit harsh".

Police swiftly changed their description to say "solid build".

The woman in question, 22-year-old Tupou Schick, is wanted for arrest for breaching bail conditions.

"Schick is described as a female Pacific Islander, 170-cm tall, fat build," police said.

The incident comes after police posted an insensitive tweet that trivialised when they have to tell someone their relative has died.

It said "when we have to tell someone their family member has died in a crash" which was then punctuated with a Steve Carell gif saying "this is the worst".

Carell is best known for his comedic hits The Office and The 40-Year-Old Virgin.

Police quickly apologised and deleted the offensive tweet.

Police have also been criticised for using Facebook as a way to make fun of offenders by way of public shaming.

New Zealand authorities were looking for 29-year-old Lucas William Vincent in May. Photo / Canterbury District Police

One incident, dating back to May, involved posting an image of Lucas William Vincent, a man wanted for failing to appear in court.

The post about Vincent, who was missing part of his left ear, went global with social media making fun of the 29-year-old.