Hot cops with puppies: Southern District cops attract likes after posing with puppies

Constable Tim Roy, left, with South, and Constable Regan Mauheni with Paikea. Photo / Southern District Police

The post was meant to show off the new puppy recruits.

But more women were looking at the two police officers holding the cute animals.

A photo of two Southern District police officers has attracted hundreds of likes after it was posted on the district's Facebook page.

Constables Tim Roy and Regan Mauheni are shown holding South and Paikea.

One Facebook user wrote "adorable, and the puppies are cute too", and another wrote "reoooww... hello officer, U can arrest me [sic]".

One woman asked if the officers were single; another said "I'll take all four thanks".

It was also suggested the officers should make a dog handler calendar.

The photo had more than 340 likes and 110 comments as of 8.30am today.

It's not the first time Mauheni has been in the spotlight.

In 2013, Mauheni and his police dog, Thor, were awarded the Erridge Cup for being New Zealand's best-performing rookie dog and handler in the previous year.

In March this year, he was one of the four police officers injured during a siege at Kawerau.

He was allegedly shot in the head by Rhys Warren during a cannabis recovery operation. He received a brain injury and spent time recovering at home.