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Police apologise over ‘insensitive’ traffic death tweet using Steve Carell meme
The now-deleted post to social media included an animated meme from the US version of The Office.
Police in New Zealand were forced to apologise after an “insensitive” tweet was shared from an official account.
In a now-deleted message the force wrote: “When we have to tell someone their family member has died in a crash” accompanied by a meme of US actor Steve Carell.
The gif showed him in character in the US version of television show The Office with the text: “This is the worst!”
Twitter users were quick to pull up the police for their insensitivity which came after a number of road traffic fatalities in the country at the weekend.
Nine people died in what the New Zealand Herald called “one of the grimmest weekends on New Zealand roads”.
New Zealand Police later apologised for the mishap in a tweet and replies.
One Twitter user praised the police for the way they had notified her grandparents when she lost three family members in a crash but questioned the tweet.
“I’m angry at this,” said user Julia_Mac_Music. “You shame hard working member of the NZ Police Force.”
The force does attempt to use humour for its road safety messages.
One post, from October 6, read: “Take it slow on the roads this weekend”, with a gif of a dog riding on a tortoise.
Twitter users have welcomed the apology for the Carell tweet.
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