Officer Tony De Smet said the footage was taken while he was in the marshalling area before the parade began, which meant he was free to dance and introduce himself to the growing crowd.

Mr De Smet has attended the Mardi Gras parade as a part of the AFP contingent since he joined the force in 2006, although he missed the action last year.

An AFP spokesperson said they have been sending a contingent to the parade for the past 16 years and while members wear police uniform and represent the force, they do so in their own time.

This year the AFP had a contingent of about 50 people marching in the parade.

Mr De Smet is a member of the national Gay and Lesbian Liaison Officer network, a police organisation he said ''aims to bridge the divide between the GLBTI community and the police community''.

The YouTube clip

The network is a far cry from the police's at times controversial involvement with the Mardi Gras.

Despite receiving notoriety for his dance moves, Mr De Smet said he had no plans to launch a dancing career. He will, however, make a return to the festival next year.

"It's one of the most amazing things to be a part of and representing the Australian Federal Police in uniform during the march was my highlight," he said. ''I love being a part of an extremely safe, friendly and inclusive organisation.''

This isn't the first time dancing policemen have achieved notoriety in Australia. A Victorian police officer became an online hit after dancing with youth at the Big Day Out festival earlier this year.