Police officers in Darwin, Australia, were accosted in a highly unusual incident during which attendees at a local bachelorette party mistook the cops for male strippers.

Australia's ABC News reports that the peace officers were called in to respond to a disturbance at the Humpty Doo Tavern, but a few partying women thought their mission that night was to protect and swerve.

After the Northern Territory police had finished inspecting the tavern, they moved on next door to the Humpty Doo Hotel, where they were met by the women celebrating a "hen's night," an Australian term for a bachelorette party.

"They were most excited about the police presence," said Northern Watch Commander Louise Jorgenson. "There were various shouts about how the strippers had arrived."

"They nearly had their shirts torn off, but they managed to escape with their dignity intact," Jorgenson added.

In fact, once the officers cleared up the confusion they played along, posing for a few pictures with the women.

"We sort of had a few photos taken ... had a bit of a play on the car," said bride-to-be Wendy Haddon. "I think it is going to be very hard to top that, even for the wedding."